Hans Paul Guth

1926 - 2019

Hans Paul Guth
April 8, 1926 ~ June 12, 2019
Resident of Saratoga
Hans Paul Guth, 93, died on June 12, 2019 in Saratoga, California. Dr. Guth was born on April 8, 1926, and raised in the Baltic Coast town of Kolberg, in the Prussian Province of Pomerania, Germany. He married his wife Mary (Kaprielian) of 68 years on July 25, 1951.
After completing his studies at the University of Frankfurt, Dr. Guth received a Fulbright Scholarship to attend the University of Michigan, where he received a PhD. in English. He met his wife Mary while attending Michigan, where she was also a student on a Regent's Scholarship. Upon receiving his doctorate, Dr. Guth accepted a teaching position at San Jose State University, and he and his wife Mary moved from Michigan to Saratoga, California. He was a professor in the English Department at San Jose State for 34 years, and was named professor of the year there in 1973. After retiring from SJSU, he also taught English at Santa Clara University.
Dr. Guth was a prolific author, and his first book Words and Ideas, released in 1959, went through seven editions and was the most widely used college English text of its era. Dr. Guth's books were used by English students at colleges and high schools across the country.
Dr. Guth is survived by his wife Mary, daughter Ingrid, son Michael, daughter Susan, and son and daughter-in-law Paul and Tressa, and three grandchildren, Alice, Joslyn, and Parker.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 13, 2019, at 1:30pm, at the Saratoga Federated Church Chapel, 20390 Park Place, Saratoga, California.


View the online memorial for Hans Paul Guth