Joe Ed Guthrie – October 18, 2024

Joe Ed Guthrie, 83 years old, passed away on October 18, 2024, after a short battle with bladder cancer.  He was a resident of Colorado Springs for over 12 years.

Joe was born on March 28, 1941, to Raymond and Ophelia Guthrie in Mayfield, Kentucky.  When he was about five years old, the family moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he lived until 1980.  Joe moved to Southern California after a job offer with an interior design firm.  After 32 years in California, he relocated to Colorado Springs.  When asked why he moved, Joe would always say he “escaped California!”  Upon graduation from high school, he worked for a couple years to decide what he wanted to major in at college.  Joe aspired to design cars at one of the “Big Three” car companies in Detroit.  That didn’t work out, so he chose architecture.  He enrolled at Lawrence Institute of Technology where he holds two degrees, a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture.  During his college days, Joe pledged to the Alpha Gamma Epsilon Fraternity, which merged with another fraternity and became Alpha Sigma Phi. Joe made many friends and enjoyed the college life!

Joe and Karen were married in 1965.  That year, Joe purchased his first MGB, which they drove to Mackinac City and took a ferry to Mackinac Island to spend their honeymoon! 

While Joe’s interests were varied…his love affair with sports cars began when he was a teenager!  He was eighteen when he got his first Corvette.  After getting eighteen points on his driver’s license, he sadly sold the ’Vette and bought an Austin Healy “Bug Eyed” Sprite!  Over the years, Joe would own several different British cars.  Upon arriving in Colorado Springs, he quickly became involved with the “Little British Car” group.  They met twice a month for breakfast at the Patty Jewett Golf Club.  He enjoyed talking cars with the guys and he made many friends there over the years.

Joe was a big fan of the Oakland Raiders, but his favorite sport was Formula One Racing!  You could find him watching the practice and qualifying sessions most weekends during the racing season.

Joe was an avid reader!  He could read two to three books at the same time!  He had collections by Hunter S. Thompson, Kurt Vonnegut, and J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series.  He also enjoyed science fiction, the world, and of course, sports car books!

Joe also enjoyed all kinds of music, from Mozart to Jimi Hendrix…but it was jazz that he loved the most.  Some of his favorites were Earl Klugh, Wes Montgomery, Bob James, Dizzy Gillespie, etc! 

Joe was a member of the Lions Club of Brea, California.  He was very involved with the band boosters at his daughter’s high school.  He was a great family man and was very proud of his children.  He was a true and loyal friend to many.  Joe was one of those people who could carry on a conversation with anyone.  He was kind, considerate of others, and soft-spoken, and he will be greatly missed by those who loved him.  Joe was the best of the best.

Joe is survived by Karen, his wife of 59 years; his two daughters: Robin Guthrie and her partner, Matt Stys, and Leslie Leaming and son-in-law Bob Leaming; his sister, Jean Zanotti; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Ophelia Guthrie; his sister, Vicky Goins; and his brother, Gary Guthrie.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Joe’s name may be made to the American Cancer Society or St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

A memorial prayer service will take place at 10:00 am on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at the Shrine of Remembrance “America the Beautiful” Chapel, 1730 East Fountain Boulevard, Colorado Springs, CO 80910.

A reception will follow the memorial at Patty Jewett Golf Course, 900 East Espanola Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80907.