Mildred Fern Guthrie

Mildred Fern Neilson Guthrie was born on March 30, 1933 to Clarence L. and Opal B. Neilson. A life-long Western Colorado resident, Mildred spent her childhood in Telluride and Montrose, graduating in 1951 from Montrose High School. Millie, as she preferred to be called, was a musician, playing the piano, trombone and French horn. She also enjoyed dancing, especially tap dancing. After high school, Millie completed a business education at Barnes School of Business in Denver, Colorado. While there, she met and fell in love with Ernest B. Guthrie. She married him on March 1, 1953, and enjoyed sixty-nine years of marriage with him until his death in 2022. Millie and Ernest traveled around the United States for two years to the various places where Ernest was stationed in the Army. Later, the couple settled in Western Colorado working for Union Carbide Corporation. Millie’s favorite occupation, however, was being mother to her two children, Melinda and Michael, and later grandmother to her two grandchildren, Garrett Guthrie and Tyler Guthrie. Throughout her career as a mother, she worked part time as an insurance secretary, Mesa College Audio Visual Department aide, Welcome Wagon Hostess and Avon sales representative.

Millie was very involved in the lives and activities of her children and grandchildren who will miss her so very much. Millie shared her love of the Lord by teaching Sunday School, Bible School and neighborhood good news clubs for children in her community. Her love for helping children develop their talents led to her directing many Western Colorado twirling competitions and serving on the Miss Colorado Board of Directors overseeing local scholarship pageants for young women. She was beloved by the girls and young women she helped. Millie is survived by her daughter Melinda, son Michael, grandson Garrett, a niece Kathryn Ford and a nephew Steven Ford. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest, parents Clarence and Opal, sister Marilyn Joyce Ford, and grandson Tyler.

Millie will be buried at the Western Slope Veterans Memorial Cemetery after a short service at 1pm, Thursday March 6.