Cecil E Guthrie

A Celebration of Life Service for Cecil E. Guthrie will be held on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska, with Pastors Scott Guthrie and Rick Thomason officiating.

Following the traditional service, cremation will take place and a private family inurnment will be held at the Prairie Home Cemetery in Holdrege with Military Honors provided by Martin-Horn American Legion Post #66 in conjunction with the United States Navy Funeral Honors Team.

The funeral service will be live streamed via the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Homes Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/Nelson-Bauer-Funeral-Homes-111601113801622

Cecil Eugene Guthrie, 88 years of age, of rural Holdrege, went home to be with his Savior, on Thursday, October 28, 2021, at his home, surrounded by his family. Cecil was born on September 9, 1933, in Frontier County, Nebraska, the eleventh of fifteen children born to Omer Kem and Maude Mae (Urling) Guthrie.  He received his education from District #63 Country School, in Frontier County, near Stockville, Nebraska and then attended Ragan High School, graduating with the class of 1951.

Following his education, Cecil was inducted into the United States Navy on December 9, 1955 and was honorably discharged on December 8, 1961.  He was stationed in the Philippines.

On October 19, 1957, he was united in marriage to Donna Jean Bryan at the United Methodist Church in Ragan and recently celebrated their 64 ^th wedding anniversary.  The couple were blessed with five daughters: Shawna, Heather, Jennifer, Raquel, and Jill. The family made their home on a farm south of Holdrege, where Cecil engaged in farming for many years and enjoyed the labor of the land. Following his retirement, Cecil and Donna were the custodians at the Holdrege Post Office for 23 years.

One of Cecil's joys was sports, especially softball.  He was a talented fast pitch softball player and was chosen for many honors while playing softball in the Navy and local softball leagues.  His competitiveness also showed while sitting at the kitchen table.  There was no such thing for Cecil as a relaxing card game or board game, no matter the opponent's age, he wanted to win! He loved to attend his daughters' and grandchildren's activities and never missed a sporting event or program! He enjoyed helping his daughters with their 4-H livestock projects and in recent years, took great pride and joy in helping his grandchildren with theirs as well.  Cecil was an avid Husker volleyball fan and enjoyed attending games for many years with his family.

He was a member of the Ragan Coop Board and he was a faithful member of the Ragan Methodist Church.

He was preceded in death by: his parents; his daughter, Heather Albright; his son-in-law, Rusty Moore; sisters: Alberta Covey and her husband, Albert; Geraldine "Gerry" Richards and her husbands: Millard Covey and Leland Richards; Garnett Covey and her husband, Donald; Alpha Fries and her husband, Wayne; Thelma Soderberg and her husband, Vern; and Myrna Guthrie; brothers: LaVerne Guthrie and his wife, Barbara; Omer Guthrie and his wife, Wanda; Harold Guthrie; and John "Jack" Guthrie and his wife, Carol; and Wayne Guthrie; brothers-in-law:  Neal Carlson; Clarence "Bud" Rogers; Leroy Maxwell; Ward Bryan and his wife, Gloria; Chester Bryan and his wife, Trudy; George Bryan his wife, Isla; and Hap Brummer; sisters-in-law: Thelma Ridenour and her husband, Charles;  and Louise Harms and her husband, Bill.

He leaves to celebrate his life; his wife, Donna Jean Guthrie of rural Holdrege; daughters: Shawna Guthrie-Johnsen and her husband, Scott of Curtis, Nebraska; Jennifer Moore of Mullen, Nebraska; Raquel Foster-Witty of San-Pedro, California; and Jill Schmidt and her husband, Tyler of rural Holdrege; 13 grandchildren: Aleesha Babl and her husband, Jeff; Logan Rutan; Cody Rutan and his wife, Amanda; Brendan Johnsen; Sheldon Johnsen; Lance Moore; Samantha Moore; Clayton Moore; Tierston Moore; Mercedes Garner; Alexis Witty; Hudson Schmidt; and Oliver Schmidt; four great-grandchildren: Blakely Babl; Bronson and Kellen Rutan and on the way; their sister; and Adonis Lurssen; Cecil is also survived by one brother, Dale Guthrie and his wife, Lou Ann of Ragan; two sisters:  Florence Maxwell of Arizona; and Eleanor Rogers of Holbrook, Nebraska; sisters-in-law: Linda Guthrie of Hastings, Nebraska; Janice Guthrie of Ragan, Nebraska; and Wilma Brummer of Holdrege; special friends of the family:  Mike Wilbur and his wife Deb of Kenesaw, Nebraska; along with many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

A Visitation will be held on Monday, November 1, 2021, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Cecil's honor to be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.