Veronica Guthrie, 86, of Grinnell, died at her home on Friday, October 21, 2022, in the loving presence of her family.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, October 28, 2022, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Grinnell. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Searsboro Cemetery. A luncheon will follow at the Eagles in Grinnell.

Memories and condolences may be shared with her family on the Smith Funeral Home website at www.smithfh.com.

Veronica Ann (Varnum) Guthrie was born the 7th out of 8 children to John and Lumilla (Millie) Morell-Varnum on August 13, 1936. She was born and raised on a farm 3 miles north of Zearing, IA. She attended elementary school in Zearing then transferred to Mt. St. Clare in Clinton, IA for 9th and 10th grade, where she travelled by train to and from school. Her junior and senior year she attended Mt. Mercy Academy in Cedar Rapids, graduating in 1954.

In the fall of 1954, she entered the convent, where she spent the next 3 years taking classes at Mt. Mercy College and teaching 2nd grade at the St. Nicholas school in Evansdale, IA. During her time away from the farm, her father passed away and her mother moved to Malcom, IA. After leaving the convent in 1959, she began working for the Lyle Goodwin Insurance Agency, followed by General Telephone Co, and Grinnell State Bank when she met James M. Guthrie Jr. in 1960. Their courtship lasted three short months before marrying on June 25th, 1960 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Grinnell. From 1962 to 1969 they had 5 children: James III "Marc", John, Jennifer, Julie and Jason. She was a homemaker until her husband's death in 1976. She went to work for the Grinnell School system as a cook until 1979, then worked at Wenco Windows until her retirement in 1998.

After retirement she helped her nephew, Jim White, at Bates Flowers along with running her grandkids to their activities. She is a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Grinnell Eagles Auxiliary and the SOB coffee club that meet at A&M Cafe weekly. Throughout stages of her life she enjoyed camping, playing cards, watching her soaps (stories), going for coffee, having a red beer at the Eagles, and enjoyed life with her faith, family and friends.

She is survived by her 5 children: James III "Marc" (Grinnell), John (Traci) Guthrie of Kellogg, Jennifer (Kenny) Young of Framingham, MA, Julie (Eric) Kingery of Grinnell, and Jason (Tassy) of Grinnell; six grandchildren: Rachel (Nate) Doran, Jimmy (Sydney) Guthrie, Natalie (Brandon Hill) Guthrie-Hill, Matthew Guthrie, Mitchell Kingery, and Kaylyn Kingery; four great grandchildren: Fayeanna Guthrie, Ellieane Hill, Lennon Doran and Dehl Guthrie; her siblings: John (Roberta) Varnum, Alma Noel, Harvey (Sherri) Varnum; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; siblings: Fred (Agatha) Varnum, Mary Elizabeth Varnum, Kate (Floyd "Bud") White, Martha (Richard "Dick") Garfield, Richard "Dick" Noel; and her sister-in-law, Jeannine (Leonard "Bud") Thon.