Doris June Guth

Our beloved Mother, Grandmother and Friend Doris June Guth passed peacefully on March 18, 2014 at Swedish Hospital of Edmonds, Washington. Doris was born June 11, 1917 in Kennewick, Washington to Guy and Myrtle Purdy. She grew up with a love of reading and animals, particularly dogs. After high school she went to Washington State University, then transferred to the University of Washington where she majored in English and also met Dean Guth. She and Dean Married in November of 1940. They set up housekeeping in Seattle, San Francisco and Olympia before settling down in Lynnwood Washington where they both became community leaders. Doris, always very outgoing and social, belonged to many clubs and organizations such as Soroptimist and The Tea Timers and other informal groups. In 1961 she was hired to manage the first Lynnwood Library. In 1969 she went back to the University of Washington and earned her Masters in Library and Informational Sciences. She then returned to the Lynnwood Library as Managing Librarian, the position she held until her retirement in 1979. Doris had not grown up in any formal religious tradition and as an adult began a spiritual journey that led her to the Catholic Church, which she whole-heartedly embraced. As a member of the Catholic Church, and true to character, she again became very involved in many church groups throughout the years. She was active in Legion of Mary, Bible Study groups, prayer groups and volunteered for Holy Hour. After her retirement, she and Dean spent some time traveling extensively, something they both loved. They went to Europe, and were also able to take two long trips around the US with their trailer. Then they become snowbirds and spent many winters in Arizona where Doris helped set up a library in their community in Yuma. After her beloved husband of 51 years passed away in 1991, Doris continued to be active in the Church and also began volunteering at the Edmonds Senior Center thrift store every Monday. She always had dogs, but in her widowhood her dogs became her cherished companions, first Murphy then Pepi. Her husband, Dean Guth and daughter, Karen Housler, preceded Doris in death. Among her survivors are her children Robert Guth (Paula), Shirlee Kessler (Miles), Carol Neville (Bill), and Donna Gallagher (James), and her grandchildren Jeff Guth (Ai), Mark Guth (Jessica), Sean Turner (Karen), Jennifer Kaczor (Chris), Amy Groesbeck (Jonathan), Dawnre Rivera (Al), Nicole Housler, Sharverty Neville, Breanna Gallagher (Nick), Kathleen Gallagher (James), Jimmy Gallagher, and Joseph Gallagher. She also leaves behind 17 great grandchildren, Kaylen Cook, Kasea and Kaya Hoffman-Turner, Elizabeth, John-Paul, Caroline, Katherine, William, George and Mary Kaczor, Joshua, Jessica, Olivia and Kayden Groesbeck, Emma and Ray Guth, Levi Guth, and Silas Dillard Gallagher. She lived a life of loving service and generosity and may she now rest in peace in the love of Christ.