James Luther Guthrie

James L. Guthrie, Jr. was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He passed away on November 9, 2012 peacefully of natural causes in Derby, Kansas at the age of 91 years. He was born in rural Oklahoma on August 8, 1921 to Florence and James L. Guthrie,Sr. He was the first of eleven children born to this humble Oklahoma farmer and his wife. He developed a passion for airplanes and flying as a young boy. He began to make his own model airplanes which in turn led him to enter the Army Air Corp in the fall of 1942. He served his country faithfully until his honorable discharge from the service in 1945. After his military service he was then employed by Boeing Aircraft where he remained close to the industry of flying for over 40 years.

James and a couple of his friends purchased a single engine plane. They enjoyed flying and he would sometimes fly his family to his home in Wainwright, Oklahoma. He learned to work on televisions through a correspondence course and became a television repairman for a number of years in his spare time.

James moved to Wichita, Kansas after graduation from high school and trade school with a hometown friend. He met Virginia Stoll, the second oldest of eleven children, at Linwood Park in Wichita. They only lived a few houses apart from one another. They were married on August 29, 1942, shortly before he entered the Army Air Corp. They celebrated 70 years of marriage on August 29th of this year.

James and Virginia have four children, Barbara Gwaltney of Lake City, Minnesota, Jeannette Richardson of Derby,Kansas, James L. Guthrie III of Burleson, Texas and Raymond Guthrie of Derby, Kansas. They have ten grandchildren and twenty two great grandchildren.

James possessed a special unique talent for making things and restoring numerous items back to their original condition. He sincerely enjoyed showing those items to his family and friends. His hands and mind were continuously busy as he envisioned his projects becoming finished works of art.

James was a man of great faith, which was evidenced in his commitment to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. With his wife and ten other people they founded and started Pleasantview Baptist Church in Derby, Kansas in 1955. Through the years of his membership he served as a Sunday School teacher and on various committees within the church. He was a well loved man by his family and many friends. His legacy will live on for many years to come because of the wonderful kindness and friendliness that he bestowed upon all those who were blessed to come into his presence.