Leonard Frances Guttridge

Leonard Frances Guttridge, 90, went to be with our Lord, June 7, 2009, at St. Marys Health Center. Born August 27, 1918 in Bournemouth, England, he spent his youth in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. He enlisted in the British Royal Air Force at nineteen years of age as an aircraft mechanic specializing in the repair of fighter and bomber fuselages. He served in Tunisia and Morocco and there often volunteered to make supply runs to U.S. military bases so he could borrow the latest Hollywood movie. He had begun his life long interest in the American movies of Bogart, Ginger Rogers, Astaire, Kelly, and Bette Davis. He loved jazz and big swing bands and shared V-Discs with his American allies. Honorably discharged from the RAF in 1946, he came to Washington D.C. and was employed at the Embassy of India. He met some of the greats- Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Jimmy McPartland, Louis Armstrong, and a favorite, trombonist Jack Teagarden. In 1960, Len started his fifty-year career as an author when he and Jay Smith coauthored a biography of Jack Teagarden. Len had other interests including the history of his newly adopted country. He wrote countless articles for adventure magazines and numerous books including, The Great Coalfield War (with George McGovern, 1972); Icebound (1986); Mutiny (1992); The Ghosts of Cape Sabine (2000); Dark Union (with Ray Neff 2003); and Our County, Right or Wrong: The Life of Stephen Decatur (2006). Surviving are daughter, Vivien Olsen, St. Marys, KS and son, Bruce Guttridge, Fairfax, VA and four grandchildren, Shaun and Shannon Guttridge, and Caleb and Luke Olsen. On August 25, 1957, Leonard married Jean Stoddart Guttridge. All who knew Leonard were delighted with his kindness, optimism, expansive knowledge on many subjects, and delightful sense of humor. A Memorial Service will be held June 20, 2009 at 11:00 A.M. at the Rossville United Methodist Church, Rossville, KS. At Leonards wishes, he was cremated. Inurnment will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Leonard F. Guttridge Memorial Fund and sent in care of the Dove Funeral Home, 4020 SW 6th Ave, Topeka, KS, 66606. To leave a special message for the family online, please visit www.DoveFuneralHome.com.