W. James Guthrie

W. James Guthrie 88, of Douglassville, died on June 20, 2015 at his home,

after a short illness. He was the husband of Lucy Klein Guthrie. Born in

Reading on January 7, 1927, he was a son of the late Carolyn Nolde and

Charles M. Guthrie. He was a retired internist.

Dr. Guthrie was graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy, Princeton

University, and Northwestern University School of Medicine. He interned at

Philadelphia General Hospital followed by a residency at St. Luke's

Hospital, New York. His medical training was interrupted by two years of

service in the U. S. Army Infantry where he served in Rome as Secretary to

the Adjutant General.

Shortly after completing his residency, Dr. Guthrie moved to Douglassville

and opened a solo practice in Pottstown. He was then joined by two other

internists who together formed Pottstown Medical Specialists. Dr. Guthrie

helped to establish both the first cardiac and general ICU at Pottstown

Hospital and also served a term as the hospital Chief of Staff. Pottstown

Medical Specialists grew to include many additional physicians practicing

in Pottstown as well as numerous satellite offices. Dr. Guthrie retired in

2003 and then practiced medicine with Community Volunteers in Medicine,

West Chester, where he served the working poor.

Earlier in his life Dr. Guthrie kept horses and fox hunted with the

Limekiln Hunt, where he met his second wife Lucy. After hunting together

several seasons they married in 1980 and lived a country life full of

horses, donkeys, and literally dozens of rambunctious dogs.

Dr. Guthrie was an avid gardener and plantsman, spending many long and

peaceful hours tending his perennial beds while listening to the

Metropolitan Opera. The long tiered borders edged by stone retaining walls

cascading to the pond were nothing short of spectacular throughout the

season. Besides riding, Dr. Guthrie and his wife played tennis and loved

to entertain. He was an accomplished and elegant cook, and Lucy a tireless

pot scrubber -- a pairing each thought to be just about perfect.

Besides his wife of 35 years, Dr. Guthrie is survived by his daughters

Carolyn and Julia, and his younger brother Thomas. He was predeceased by

his middle daughter Anne and brothers Charles, Jacob, and John. He is also

survived by his first wife Sally Guthrie and many nieces and nephews.

Services are private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be

made to the Salvation Army, https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org. Please

mention Dr. Guthrie's name. Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West

Reading is in charge of arrangements.