Obituary of Milton Guthrie

A funeral service for Milton Guthrie, age 89, of Milford, will be held Saturday, February 13, 2016 at 10:30am at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Milford. Milton Manuel Guthrie was born January 3, 1927 at Milford, Iowa to A.T. and Valda (Christopherson) Guthrie. He passed away at the age of 89 on February 6, 2016, at the Hawkeye Care Center in Milford, Iowa. Born the fourteenth of fourteen children, Milton lived his entire life in Milford except for a few years in Glenwood, Minnesota. Milton attended school in Milford and began his farming career early in life. As a young man, Milton helped his father on the farm raising corn, beans, lots of sheep and many other farm animals. He was a paratrooper for the 11th Airborne Unit of the United States Army, serving in WWII, honorably discharged in December, 1946. On March 13, 1948, Milton was united in marriage to Georgene Elizabeth Wintz. To this marriage ten children were born and they enjoyed sixty-one years together. Throughout his life, Milton was active with the Milford American Legion Post #384, Sno-Hawks Snowmobile Club, Iowa Great Lakes Saddle Club, Pony Express Riders of Iowa and donated over eighteen gallons of blood to the American Red Cross Bloodmobile. Milton had a passion for farming, horses and outdoor activities. His family was treated to many sleigh rides with his beloved teams of horses, both winter and summer. He enjoyed taking everyone on snowmobile rides, pulling the kids across the farm fields on all types of sleds, toboggans, and even old car hoods. Many hours were spent enjoying trail rides with the family, canvassing the City of Milford and Dickinson County on horses to raise money for Pony Express which benefits Camp Sunnyside in Des Moines; a camp for children with disabilities across Iowa. Seven children and their families survive Milton. They include: Deb (Mike) Travis, Rex (Debra) Guthrie, Julie (Mark) Goering, Connie (Tony) Gossman, Karen (Dennis) Ackerman, Jim (Shannon) Guthrie and Ray (Carolyn) Guthrie; twenty-one grandchildren and twenty-seven great grandchildren; one sister, Marcelle Franker; sisters-in-law, Violet Hafer, Shirley Derflinger and Bernie Heavener; one brother-in-law, Roy Wintz; many, many, many nieces and nephews and a large extended family. Milton was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved Georgene; three infant children; a grandson, Blake Schierholt; his brothers and sisters, Mae, Dena, John, Louise, Glen, Amerit, Lena, Quintus, Ella, Florence, Jim and Lincoln; and several other relatives. Farming and his family were his life and his hobbies and activities were many. His willingness to help others, his wit, stubbornness and kindness to all will never be forgotten. Rest in peace now and keep watch over us forever.