F E Guthrie Jr.

F.E. (Sam) Guthrie, Jr., 69, formerly of Gleason, TN, died at his home in Cleveland, TN March 10, 2011 after a long illness. He was a member of the Cleveland First Baptist Church. Mr. Guthrie was born September 30, 1941 in Memphis, TN to F.E. Guthrie, Sr., and Bonnie Payne Guthrie who have preceded him in death. He graduated from Whitehaven High School in 1959 and earned his BS from Union University in Jackson. He devoted his life to teaching and coaching having retired from Gleason High School in 2006. His goal was to make a difference in the lives of not only his football players on the field but his students in the classroom as well. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Nancy Scott Guthrie; a daughter, Amy Guthrie Foss and her husband Coleman of Cleveland; a son, Brian Payne Guthrie and his wife Amy of Murfreesboro, TN; four grandchildren, Sara Grace and Noah Todd of Cleveland and Harper and Hadley Jane Guthrie of Murfreesboro; two step-grandchildren, Ashton and Austin Foss of Montgomery, AL; and a sister, Diana Spader and her husband Allan of Port Elizabeth, Maine. There will be family visitation at First Baptist Church in Cleveland on Saturday, March 12, 2011 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.. A memorial celebration of his life will be held at the First Baptist Church in Gleason on Monday March 14, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. with the family visitation two hours prior to the service. The family requests that memorial donations be made to “The Coach Sam Guthrie Scholarship Fund” in care of the Bank of Gleason, Gleason, TN, 38229. Ralph Buckner Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of the arrangements. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Guthrie family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com.