I enjoy living across the street from Graceland Cemetery, especially when dogs are out walking their humans. My daughter is on the board of directors for Midwest Peke ‘n Chin Rescue, helping with all those small, smooshie-faced dogs with big attitudes. She recently assisted in the adoption of a standard size poodle … just a bit larger than about 20 Chins.

The adoption shows you never know when you’ll run into that “someone” with a story to tell. The adopter mentioned having grown up in Webster City … which led to finding a wonderful couple residing in Our Neighborhood.

William “Bill” Guthrie was born on St Patrick’s Day in 1917 to Dudley and Faye Guthrie of Normal, Illinois. After high school, Bill graduated from Illinois Wesleyan College in 1938 and received a law degree in 1941. He practiced law, briefly, before entering military service during WW II. He joined the U.S. Naval Reserves and attended midshipman’s training; he became an ensign and took advanced training in bomb disposal. Serving aboard the USS Cowpens and the USS Mindoro, Bill participated in eight major campaigns across the Pacific before he was discharged in 1945.

Just after completing his midshipman training, Bill married Marjorie “Terry” Carpentier, who was born on October 10, 1918, in Evanston, Illinois. They married on October 27, 1942, at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration on Wall Street in New York City. Marjorie was nicknamed Terry in college because there were so many Marjories in her sorority. She worked at McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft in Los Angeles during the war. After the war, Bill and Terry lived in Illinois for a short time before moving to Webster City in 1947. Bill worked as a lawyer with Ed Prince on Seneca Street, where he maintained an office for many years. Bill was hired for the position through their shared involvement in a college fraternity.

To say that Bill and Terry were involved in Webster City would be a serious understatement, particularly in the Community Theatre. The length of this column prevents the listing of each group, association, troop, board, panel, club or organization they held membership in, or otherwise helped. Bill was city attorney from 1958 to 1963. Most importantly, to me and some others, was his active involvement in the American Legion Post in Webster City, the state of Iowa and, eventually on a national level. They were both incredibly active in business, social, church and academics here. One of my favorites was Bill’s role as acting judge for Mock Trials involving the senior classes at Webster City High. In 1970, his own son, Ted, was the defendant; fortunately, Ted was found innocent. One wonders what a sentence might have been …

Terry and Bill had four daughters also; one died in infancy and the others, along with Ted, all live outside of Webster City today. Tragically, on May 30, 1970 (Memorial Day), Bill was involved in a three-car collision near Cordova, Illinois. He was killed instantly and his daughter, Sarah, and a friend were both hospitalized with injuries. Bill had spent the day speaking at two separate Memorial Day events in eastern Iowa and was on his way home that evening when a car ahead suddenly began to turn left. The Guthrie vehicle hit the car and bounded into the oncoming lane and hit a pickup. I’ve attached the headlines of The Daily Freeman-Journal for June 1, 1970 with this article.

Terry continued to live in Webster City, despite family attempts to lure her west to California. She raised their children and continued to thrive in Webster City. Her obituary states, “She stayed in Webster City because she loved her friends and her activities here.” Now they both reside in Our Neighborhood, as the dogs walk their humans …

Our Neighborhood is a column by Michael Eckers focusing on the men and women whose presence populates Graceland Cemetery in Webster City.