Maynard Guthmiller

1923 - 2013

Maynard Guthmiller

Funeral services for Maynard Guthmiller of Tripp will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 14 at Frieden's Reformed Church in Tripp with Dan VanGerpen officiating. Organist is Shelley Finck. Honorary casketbearer is 1st Lt. Elliott M. Hughes and active casketbearers are Jan Ausdemore, John Hughes, Daniel Guthmiller, David Guthmiller, Stuart Hughes, and Evan Hughes. Interment will follow in Frieden's Reformed Cemetery, Tripp with military graveside rites. Visitation will be held on Friday from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m also at the church. Online condolences may be sent at www.goglinfh.com.

Maynard Gilbert Guthmiller was born September 11, 1923, in Tripp, South Dakota, to Christian and Della (Hamberger) Guthmiller.

He was a Marine in WWII, experiencing some of the most brutal fighting of the war in the Battle of Okinawa. Maynard shot expert and carried the Browning automatic rifle, which made him the target of Japanese snipers.

Maynard was united in marriage to Esther (Ehresmann) Guthmiller on December 29, 1946. They worked together to remodel a country church that had been moved into town, and it remains the family home to this day. Maynard supported his family as an auctioneer, sheep shearer, farmer, and commercial cattle buyer. He loved attending his children's and grandchildren's school activities and sporting events, offering moral support from the sidelines

Maynard loved God, family, country, and community. He was a member of the Jelkin-Harms American Legion and served on the Tripp City Council. Family was very important to Maynard. He loved his children and grandchildren and was very generous with them. The legacy Maynard leaves is his family and helping them to become established in their lives and careers.

Maynard died on Sunday, December 8, 2013, at the Tripp Good Samaritan Center at the age of 90 years, 2 months, and 27 days.

Maynard is survived by his wife, Esther, of Tripp; his sister, Marilyn Miller of Sheboygan, Wisconsin; three children: Burton Guthmiller of Sioux Falls, Barbara (Jan) Ausdemore of San Diego, California, and Beth (John) Hughes of Sioux Falls; nine grandchildren: Daniel (Kami) Guthmiller, David Guthmiller, Deb (Jeff) Herrboldt, Angel Ausdemore, Jamie (Eli) Humphrey, Elliott Hughes, Stuart (Nevada) Hughes, and Evan Hughes; and five great-grandchildren: Jace and Elle Guthmiller, Bryce Herrboldt, and Serenity and Justice Humphrey.

Maynard was preceded in death by his parents, Christian and Della Guthmiller, infant sister Lavelle Guthmiller, sister Eileen Reiner, and grandson Luke Ausdemore.