Richard Carl Guthrie passed away on September 4, 2021 after a long battle with cancer. He was 78 years old.

Richard was born October 26, 1942, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was the son of Col. Richard Edwin Guthrie and Elizabeth Ann Guthrie.  He was one of the first dependents (with his mom) to join his father following the official surrender of Japan in 1945 after WWII.

Richard is survived by his wife of 47 years Peggy Ann McCarroll Guthrie, his three children, Richard Carl Guthrie, Jr. (Lisa), Kelly Guthrie Jeffer (Herman), and Casey Guthrie Burns (Eric), and his five grandchildren, Anna Elizabeth Guthrie, Nicholas David Guthrie, Miles Herman Jeffer, Walt Harris Jeffer, and Charlie Atticus Jeffer.

Richard was so full of life and lived many different careers during his lifetime. When Richard finished high school in Honolulu, Hawaii, he immediately enlisted in the United States Army where he served in the 82nd Airborne Division as a paratrooper and rigger from 1960-1963. He prided himself in his accomplishments on the U.S. Pistol Team where he was state champion for Tennessee and Maryland and 4th overall National Pistol champion in 1963 which qualified him for the Pre Olympic Pistol Team.

After his military time, Richard joined the Michigan State Police where he experienced the infamous Detroit Riots of 1968.

Richard then enrolled at Louisiana State University in New Orleans and completed his Bachelor's Degree in Social Studies Education and his Master's Degree in Urban Studies and Regional Planning in 1974. Richard was a history teacher for a few years and then focused his sights more on governmental affairs.

Richard held many public service and public affairs positions in the City of New Orleans, a few included: Director of Governmental Affairs for the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce, Director of Public Affairs for Avondale Shipyards, President of the Board of Directors of the Harvey Canal Industrial Association, Member of the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce, Vice President of Governmental Affairs Louisiana Power and Light Co. and New Orleans Public Service Inc. with whom he retired.

Richard spent a lot of his spare time golfing and playing tennis. His retired years were spent on his farm in Havana, AR where he enjoyed fishing, farming, visiting Betty Bell at Chambers' Bank, social time they looked forward to daily for 20 years, and running his beloved dogs, Nopsi, Cajun and Gumbo. Richard had a saying he would use regularly to describe moments in time that he held close to his heart, "It was lovely" and it truly was…

Arrangements by Danville Cornwell Funeral Home and River Valley Crematory Dardanelle. Online guestbook and condolences at www.cornwellfuneralhomes.com