Wm. Coleman Guthrie

William Coleman Guthrie, 83, of Cambridge MD, died Feb. 25, 2012 at Dorchester General Hospital in Cambridge, MD. He died from respiratory failure.

Mr. Guthrie was born February 11, 1929 at the family homestead "Rosny" in Buckingham County, VA. Son of Edna Oslin Guthrie and Forest Guthrie, Jr., he was the twin brother of Ann Marie Guthrie and brother of the late Forrest Guthrie III. Mr. Guthrie graduated from Buckingham County Central HS and served in the U. S Coast Guard from 1946 until 1949. He attended the University of Richmond and the University of Virginia where he graduated in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. In 1956, Mr. Guthrie married Paula Ann Butrem of Kenosha, Wisconsin, who predeceased him in 1971. In 1973, he married Gertrude Truitt Jones of Kent Island, Maryland. Mr. Guthrie had a distinguished career as an Aero Space Engineer. His career began in 1954, working for the Douglass Aircraft Co. in Long Beach, CA, where he designed fuel systems for the B-66 Attack Bomber. Mr. Guthrie was recruited by The Martin Co. as a System Engineer for the Titan ICBM propulsion system. In 1968, he joined Communication Satellite Corp., COMSAT, where he was promoted to VP and General Manager of Comsat World Satellite Systems. His design contributions include Comstar, Marisat and Intelsat satellite systems. He retired from Comsat in 1987, and came out of retirement for several years to take a position as VP for Willis Carroon Ltd. In 1977, the family moved to Kent Island, Maryland where Mr. Guthrie pursued his love for recreational sailing and cruising on the Chesapeake Bay, his love of history, preservation, architectural reproduction, his love of books, college lacrosse, and the enjoyment of family and friends. In 1995, he moved his family to Oxford, MD. Coleman was a member of the Raven Society (UVA), the Tred Avon Yacht Club, The Oxford Museum, The Oxford Library, a founding member of Historic Oxford Ltd., The Church of The Holy Trinity, Oxford, MD and the Cambridge Yacht Club.

Mr. Guthrie is survived by his wife, Trudy Guthrie of Cambridge, MD, children; B. Spencer Guthrie (Joan) Louisville, CO, Emily G. Sayles (Leo) Grove City, Ohio, John J. Guthrie (Susan) Lyndhurst, VA, Michael H. Jones (Ruth) Mechanicsville, VA, Adam Guthrie, Severna Park, MD, William T Jones, (Maggie) Otis, Oregon. Surviving Coleman are grandchildren, Mary L. Sayles, Heather L. Sayles, Sarah A. Sayles, Leo J. Sayles III, Nicholas E. Guthrie, F. Forrest Guthrie, James B. Guthrie, T. Cameron Guthrie, Katherine A. Guthrie, Ellen O. Guthrie, Coleman E. Guthrie, Danielle A. Jones and W. Christopher Jones and a great-granddaughter, Lily Guthrie-Ray, Louisville, Colorado.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 1p.m. at The Church of The Holy Trinity in Oxford with Rev.'s Kevin Cross and C. Allan Spicer officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to and in honor of The Oxford Library, Post Office Box 584, Oxford, Maryland 21654. Arrangements are in the care of the Thomas Funeral Home, P.A. in Cambridge.