Funeral services for Dale Guthrie will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, February 24, 2023, at the Davis Funeral Home in Riverton with burial in the Mountain View Cemetery. Military rites will be held by the Friday-Truan Detachment #683 Marine Corps League & Veterans. Dale was born in Levi’s so wear your favorite brand of jeans on that day.
On February 11, 2023, Dale Eugene Guthrie, 74, of Riverton, WY, peacefully passed away in his sleep. He was born October 22, 1948, to Willard Jefferson Guthrie and Myrtle Deveda (Phillips) Guthrie in Douglas, WY, joining siblings Connie, Stanley, and Ronald.
His parents divorced when he was 6 months old. He has fond memories of Grandma Guthrie who provided care for him in his early childhood. Neighbor Floyd "Curly" Lewis was always available when advice was needed. Gas station owner Pat Keifer was an outstanding mentor and provided vehicle maintenance training for Dale.
At an early age, he and his friends camped at Rabbit Mountain and Twin Bridges hunting and fishing for food to eat. Those were the good ole days, when it was acceptable to carry a gun on Main Street as he headed for the country. He learned to swim when his brothers threw him off the bridge into the North Platte River.
When he turned 17, he enlisted in the Army with his first assignment at Fort Richardson, Alaska. Since he was regular army and there was a shortage of non-commissioned officers at the base because of the Vietnam War, he filled many acting leadership positions, including a first sergeant position when he was a corporal. His unit participated in Test and Evaluation and Cold Weather Survival training. He volunteered for ski instructor detail. Fort Riley, KS, was his next assignment where he was discharged in November 1968. November 25, 1968, he married Jacquelyn Gager in Salina, KS.
He re-enlisted in January 1969 for the Army Signal School television equipment repair training at Fort Monmouth, NJ, where his daughter Tarina was born. Upon completion of training, he was assigned to Fort Rucker, AL, where he was an electronic technician for the Film/Educational Television Division, living in Daleville, AL. He was transferred to South Korea where he worked at the AFKN transmitter site on Hwaaksan Mt. on the DMZ. Fort Leonard Wood, MO, was his final assignment where he did electronic maintenance for Educational Television and the base cable system. On October 12, 1973, he married Shirley Wire in Rolla, MO.
A week after being discharged in January 1975, his daughter Taunya was born at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. Then, he attended the University of Missouri-Rolla where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in 1978. After returning to his home state of Wyoming in 1978, he wanted to be a school counselor; but it required an education degree. Instead, he fell back on his electronic military training and did repair work for Riverton Radio & TV from 1978 to 1983 and Western Radio Communications from 1983 to 1989. During the 1980s, he was a Riverton EMT II, EMT Instructor-Coordinator and crew chief, seeking as much medical knowledge as possible at the ER. A couple of times, he utilized his medical knowledge at forest fire camps and at a Lysite oil drilling site when a medical person was required on that location. His son, Travis, was born in 1980 at the Riverton Memorial Hospital on Park Street.
In 1984, Dale completed his Associate of Science degree in Biology at Central Wyoming College. In 1989, he went to the University of Wyoming to earn his Education and Biology Bachelor of Science degrees and became a substitute teacher in Shoshoni. He returned to electronics working for Video Dr. and became the owner of Video Dr. on July 1, 1997, and West Central Wyoming Coin on January 1, 2006, before retiring in 2022.
He enjoyed backpack trips to the Stough Lakes with family and friends and roaming the Red Desert after the mountains became too crowded. A memorable trip into the Stough Lakes was in 2011. The kids planned this trip with him for several months. Knowing it would be his last trip, Dale did not want to disappoint them. He completed this trip unaware that he was in congestive heart failure. He taught his family rappelling in the Red Canyon. Getting the grandkids to the country was his passion -- catching frogs at Long Creek, fishing, shooting, climbing hills, car camping, hunting brass at Gas Hills, and letting the grandkids drive on the country roads. Many of these trips ended with an ice cream treat. Work days with the grandkids often ended with an orange & cream soda at the table listening to Dale's stories. Just a drive to Sand Draw was calming because of the lack of buildings and people. He had no desire to leave the beauty of Wyoming.
He is survived by his wife, Shirley; his children Tarina (Delbert) Hunt of McPherson, KS, Taunya (Chad) Vogelsang of Riverton, WY, and Travis (Julie) Guthrie of Riverton. WY; siblings Connie Cropsey of Casper, WY, Stanley (Marites) Guthrie of Murray, Utah, and Theodore "Tedd" (Elizabeth) Guthrie of Wilkesboro, NC; grandchildren Trevor, Ethan, and Austen Hunt, Carsyn Vogelsang, Azaniah, Tristan and Alaura Guthrie; 5 great-grandchildren; nephew Colter Guthrie of Murray, Utah, who spent summers roaming the Red Desert with Dale, other nieces and nephews, and close friends Dan Burden and cousin, Dan Guthrie.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Ronald Guthrie and brother and sister-in-law Steve and Helen Guthrie.
On-line condolences may be made at TheDavisFuneralHome.com
Services under the direction of Davis Funeral Home, Crematory, and Monuments.