Individual Details

Death

Paul Edward "Ed" Guthrie, loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully on December 13, 2023. Ed was 84 years old and was loved tremendously by his family who marveled at his always positive, can-do spirit and ability to make those around him feel special. He is survived by his wife, Gayle, and his three children, Debbie Furr (Bracey), Kevin Guthrie (Shelley), and Lindsey Erwin (Daniel). He is also survived by his seven grandchildren, Cameron Furr (Stevie), Tyler Furr (Crystal), Logan Furr, Julia Guthrie, Addison Guthrie, Holt Erwin, and Griffin Erwin. Ed is survived by three great grandchildren as well, Reagan, Emery, and Avery. He is additionally survived by his three sisters, Sue Winborn, Ruth Anne Tripplehorn and Janet Burke, and his brother Dick Guthrie, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul Lawrence Guthrie and Effie Lillian Guthrie, and his brother Terry Laverne Guthrie. Ed was born in Enid, Oklahoma on July 9, 1939. He graduated in 1957 from Borger High School in Borger, Texas and was an avid athlete, playing football, baseball, and track as well as singing in the school choir. He attended Eastern New Mexico University on a football and choir scholarship, where he spent his summers working at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack. His natural knack for mathematics eventually led him to Texas Western College (currently known as The University of Texas at El Paso) where he graduated as a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. Ed treasured his family more than anything in the world. He met Gayle Merrifield in 1966 at a church singles group at First Methodist in Dallas, and they quickly hit it off. After dating a relatively short time, Ed took Gayle to a Dallas Cowboys game against the Green Bay Packers at the Cotton Bowl stadium. He was so overcome with joy following the Cowboys' victory, he suggested to Gayle they should get married. They tied the knot the following year in 1967 and two years later moved to Houston where they would eventually celebrate their 56th wedding anniversary before his passing. Ed started his career working as a contractor with Collins Radio in Dallas on Defense Department projects around the world. He was part of a team that established the first communications link between Washington, D.C. and Vietnam in the 1960s. Later he worked at Texas Instruments in Dallas and Houston, where he met many life-long friends, including the future-founders of a small, soon-to-be Houston based startup company focused on personal computers. In the early 80s, he took a leap of faith to join his friends and became one of the first 100 employees of Compaq Computer Corporation. After many exciting experiences with Compaq, he retired early in 1991. Over the years, his career took him many places including Korea, several countries in Europe, and several islands in the Pacific. This is where he discovered his love of the Hawaiian Islands. He returned to Hawaii with his family as often as possible over the years for trips filled with adventure. If you ever got Ed telling stories, chances were good you would hear one or two about Hawaii-like a white-knuckle bike ride down Haleakala volcano at sunrise on Maui. He loved his wife and children immensely, as they brought him great joy. Ed was a patient and devoted father and grandfather, who frequently put his tinkering interests to use to help his children with countless projects and math tutoring. He was often found cheering on children and grandchildren at their extracurricular activities. They appreciated his playfulness and competitive spirit as they learned quickly from Ed how to lose with grace. He never let them win a game of volleyball in the family swimming pool or one-on-one on the basketball court. During retirement, Ed tapped into his creative interests. He audited screenwriting and Russian language classes at Rice University. He even dabbled in board game development, using his children as his research and development team. Socially, Ed and Gayle enjoyed involvement in numerous clubs including book club, bridge club, and a gourmet dinner/wine club. Together, they were also involved in philanthropic causes including The American Heart Association and Northwest Assistance Ministries. Ed continued his love of sports and played tennis and golf weekly. In the fall, watching college football was one of his most loved pastimes. There was no other activity he loved more than being with his family while cheering on the Texas Longhorns to victory! Ed was a devoted Christian who spent many years serving as an usher at Lakewood Methodist Church. His family is at peace knowing that he is once again of sound body and mind with our Lord, Jesus Christ. The family would like to thank the medical staff of Houston Methodist Hospital at Willowbrook who took impeccable care of Ed during his final days. Their incredible love and kindness for him and our family was truly above and beyond. A celebration of Ed's life is set for Thursday, December 21 at 11:00 a.m. at The Woodlands Methodist Church in Robb Chapel in The Woodlands, Texas, 77380. A reception will immediately follow the service. Memorial gifts can be made in honor of Ed Guthrie at the Alzheimer's Association's website https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/research_progress