Betty Gutting

Betty Gutting Betty Jean (Morris) Gutting, an Indiana native and world traveler, died October 18 in Chestertown with family at her side. Born March 24, 1921 to Russell and Hilda Morris of Shelbyville, Indiana, Betty graduated from Shelbyville High School and attended Purdue, where she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority, the honor society Mortar Board, and served on the editorial board of the university yearbook. She began her thirty-three year career as a Navy wife when she married her high school sweetheart, Midshipman Phil Gutting, in December of 1941 as he was shipping off to war. Independent, inventive, and tireless, she packed up house and children and relocated many times as Captain Gutting's naval career took them to three countries, eight states, and over forty homes. Whether it was an efficiency apartment, half a Quonset hut, base quarters or more spacious housing, Betty always established a home full of books, maps, music, and mementos, anchoring the family to their new port. Upon retiring from the Navy in 1972, the Guttings lived for nine years in Palm Beach, FL before returning to Indiana and settling in Bloomington in 1981. After Phil's death in 2001, she moved to Maryland's Eastern Shore to be near family. Betty Gutting was a lifelong volunteer. She worked for two years as a Navy Relief interviewer at the Naval Academy in Annapolis and nine years as a Pink Lady at St. Mary's Hospital in West Palm Beach, FL. For twelve years she tutored English as a Second Language in Bloomington, making friends in China, Japan, Thailand, and Russia. She spent ten years working in the community food pantry at First United Methodist Church in Bloomington, where she also served as membership secretary. Upon moving to Chestertown, she volunteered for six years at the food pantry at Christ United Methodist Church, where she was also a member. Betty had a witty and inquiring mind and was an avid reader her entire life. Her last volunteer job was at the Heron Point library in Chestertown. She shared her love of literature, art, music and games with her beloved children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Betty was preceded in death by her husband Phil and her eldest son, John Philip Gutting, Jr. She is survived by her brother, Norman Morris of Columbus, Indiana; daughter-in-law, Sue Gutting of Church Hill; sons Graham and wife Dinah Gutting of Abilene, TX, Peter Gutting of Winthrop; daughters Ann Gutting of Winthrop, MA, Sarah and husband Bill Sheehan of Winthrop, MA; grandchildren Rani and husband Bob Fordi of Chestertown; Jeff and wife Lauren Gutting of Philadelphia, PA; Elizabeth and husband Shannon Durant of Baltimore; Mark and wife Christi Gutting of Dallas, TX; Catherine and husband Jason Baumgardner of Long Beach, CA; Brian Gutting of Abilene, TX; and five great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, November 3, at Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, Carmony-Ewing Chapel, 819 S. Harrison St., Shelbyville, IN. Interment will follow at Forest Hills Cemetery, Shelbyville, IN. Memorial contributions may be made to Community Food Pantry, 401 High Street, Chestertown, MD 21620 and FUMC Wednesday Food Pantry, First United Methodist Church, 219 East 4th Street, Bloomington, IN 47408.