James J. Guthrie

LOWELL — James J. Guthrie, age 85, of Lowell, died on Monday, July 20, 2009 at his home in Lowell. He was the husband of Elizabeth A. (Harrington) Guthrie, with whom he celebrated their 56th anniversary on April 13.

He was born on Oct. 31, 1923 in North Andover, the eldest son of the late Joseph Guthrie and the late Sythey (Stewart) Guthrie. Mr. Guthrie graduated from Johnson High School of North Andover in 1941 and was an All Star guard on the undefeated Johnson High football team of 1940.

He joined the U.S. Army during World War II and after serving in the Combat Engineers for six months and a one year assignment at Harvard University training as an engineer, he was reassigned to the Yankee Infantry Division and saw combat in Europe. As a member of the 3rd Battalion, he was awarded the Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for "extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy" and was awarded two Bronze Stars for "heroic or meritorious service" as well as the Combat Infantryman's Medal and other medals and awards.

Mr. Guthrie graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1950 with a degree in Mathematics and the University of Massachusetts in Lowell in 1966 with a master's in education. He was an employee of the U.S. Government as a Mathematician and as a Budget and Finance Officer from 1950 until retirement in 1981 serving with the Army Map Service and Coast and Geodetic Survey in Washington, and the General Accounting Office (GAO) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Boston. He was a Special Assistant to the Superintendent of Schools in Lowell for three years and Executive Director of Human Services Corp. in Lowell for six years in the 1980s.

After his retirement in 1989, Mr. Guthrie did volunteer work as the President of the Council for Children of Greater Lowell; as a member of the Advisory Council and of the Board of Directors of Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley; as a participant in the Friendly Visitors Program of the Chelmsford Center for the elderly and as a voluntary State Ombudsman for Nursing homes in Lowell. He was a communicant of Saint Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church in the Upper Highlands for many years.

Besides his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Thomas (Mary Ellen) Clarke and her husband Thomas; four sons, William J. and his wife Ann Marie; Joseph, Terrence and Robert, all of Lowell; and 11 grandchildren: Jennifer, James, Amanda, Michael, Joseph, Patrick, Jack and Matthew Guthrie; and Meagan, Maura and Thomas Clarke. He had two great-granddaughters, Madelyn Cha and Elizabeth Guthrie. He is also survived by his brother, Joseph A. Guthrie and his wife Lois of East Hampsted, N.H.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins in Greater Lowell and Greater Lawrence.

ARRANGEMENTS: You are invited to his calling hours from 4 until 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22, on Thursday. His funeral will begin at 10 a.m. at the McDonough Funeral Home, 14 Highland St., Lowell, 978-458-6816. His funeral Mass will be offered at St. Margaret's Church at 11 a.m. Burial in St. Mary Cemetery. E-condolence site: www.McDonoughFuneralHome.com.