Verle Eugene Guthrie

Verle Eugene Guthrie

Highlands Ranch, Colo.

Verle Eugene Guthrie, of Highlands Ranch, Colo., age 79, died on Feb. 22, 2023. He was a graduate of East High School (Lee Township Against the World!) in Des Moines, Iowa. He also earned a BA in history from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa.

Verle served four years in the Air Force at Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Ariz., achieving the rank of Sergeant E4. He followed Air Force service with a 30-year career in telecommunications beginning with Northwestern Bell in Des Moines, Iowa, until 1994, and then with U.S. West and Qwest in Denver, Colo. After retiring in 2000 from Qwest, Verle worked for two companies supporting the telephone industry and retired in 2006.

He married Helen (Larkin) Guthrie in Des Moines in 1974. They have one daughter, Patti Kula (Jim) of Hopkinton, Iowa.

Verle treasured his family, friends and neighbors, and they treasured him. He had a great sense of humor, liked to have fun, and was a kind-hearted and true friend. Little kids called him Uncle Verle or Grandpa Verle, related or not. Verle was an avid reader and especially liked history, science fiction, and Westerns. He enjoyed taking part in the annual Long’s Peak Scottish-Irish Highland Festival celebrating Celtic heritage. Verle and Helen spent many Christmas and summer vacations at their condominium in Estes Park. They also shared a love of travel, especially motorcycle trips with a group of dear friends from the phone company days. They loved their cruises to Alaska and the Bahamas, and their visits to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and various other destinations “warm, with water.”

In addition to his wife and daughter, Verle is survived by his brother Air Force Master Sergeant Retired LaVerne Arthur Guthrie Jr. (Celia) of West Des Moines, Iowa; nephew Paul Guthrie and his children, West Des Moines, Iowa; and niece Amy Guthrie Cox (Daron) and their children, Minneapolis, Minn. He is survived by his cousins Mike Adams (Colleen), West Des Moines, Iowa; Chrissy Marquis, Bremerton, Wash.; Janet Ginther, Thornton, Colo., and Frank Norris (Lena), Sheffield, Iowa.

Verle is also survived by his sister-in-law Elaine Rockwell Logan (Brent), Dubuque, Iowa; brothers-in-law Michael Larkin (Janice), Hanahan, S.C.; John Larkin (Sherry) and daughters, Aurora, Colo.; Tom Larkin and son, Lubbock, Texas; and Brian Larkin (Sara) and children, Robins, Iowa; Verle is also survived by nieces and nephews: Command Sergeant Major Timothy Larkin (Janet), Charleston, S.C.; Miranda Larkin and Elthia Larkin, Aurora, Colo., and Sarah Knight, Pittsburgh, Pa.; John Skeels (Adrienne), Roanoke, Texas; Abigail Morales and sons, Monroe, Wis.; Rachael Schmitt (Matthew) and sons, Rosemount, Minn.; Katie Aller (Tyler) and son, Martensdale, Iowa; and John T. Larkin, Robins, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his parents LaVerne Arthur Guthrie Sr. and Opal F. (Murphy) Guthrie of Des Moines, Iowa. He was also preceded in death by father- and mother-in-law Clement and Ramona Larkin, Waukon, Iowa; nephew Michael Larkin and niece Mary Ellen Larkin, Goose Creek, S.C.

A celebration of life and reception will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 13, at Horan & McConaty, 5303 E. County Line Road, Centennial, Colo. Military honors follow at Fort Logan National Cemetery.

Donations may be made to Parkinson Association of the Rockies, 1325 S Colorado Blvd #204B, Denver, CO 80222.