Robert L. “Butch” Guthrie, 78, entered God’s kingdom and joined his wife, Arlene on December 25, 2018 in Dickinson. A Celebration of Butch’s Life will be 11 a.m. CDT, Saturday June 15, 2019 at Sertoma Park, Shelter 8, Bismarck with Pastor Jenny Hallenbeck Orr officiating.
Butch was born in Surrey on June 17, 1940 to Howard and Florence (Hendricks) Guthrie. He was raised on the farm south of Surrey, and attended Surrey School where he was a gifted athlete and student. Butch married one of his classmates, Arlene Hoppman, a farm girl who lived down the road, on August 4, 1957. Together, they raised six children. Butch spent his years employed at Sears, Pepsi and Old Dutch in Minot. He then moved his family to Dickinson where he worked at Baker Lynes. He was then transferred to Oklahoma and then to Gaylord, Mich., where he was employed at Estelle Farms, Gaylord High School and Otsego Parks & Rec. Butch and Arlene made Michigan their home until Arlene’s death in 2015, when Butch wished to return home to North Dakota.
Butch learned to play trumpet as a youngster and could play just about anything without by heart and joined a jazz band in his early 20s. Butch spent many summers as a young child staying with his grandfather at the livestock barns in Minot. He also was an animal lover, especially that of horses and wished one day to become a veterinarian. Among Butch’s favorite past time for many years was assisting as a mechanic for Jack Blotske in Minot. He was an avid fan of World of Outlaw sprint car racing and would not miss a race in which Donny Schatz competed. He was also a skilled bowler, a fan of the Minnesota Vikings and also enjoyed rabbit hunting and fishing.
Butch is survived by his children, Jerry (Diane), Gaylord, Kandy (Ernie Escontrias) Guthrie, Bismarck, Kevin (Jo Carol), Dickinson, Casey (Shelli), Kingsley, Mich., Bill (Diane Fontaine-Buehler), Las Luz, N.M. and Stacy Guthrie, Gaylord; 15 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren; brother Howard (Buck) Guthrie of Tempe, Ariz.
Butch was preceded in death by his wife, Arlene, his parents Howard and Florence, his sister Jean Grabow, sister-in-law, Pamela Guthrie.
