Norman L. Guittar

Norman Lawrence Guittar, Jr. was born in St. Louis, Missouri on May 16, 1941 to Norman Lawrence Guittar, Sr. and Elise Guittar (nee Hines). He passed away peacefully in his home on February 16, 2026. Norman is survived by his wife of 60 years, Dolores Guittar (nee Roeper), his sisters: Gert Booher and Thelma Guittar, his six children: Linda Rabenberg, James Guittar, Michael (Dina) Guittar, Elizabeth Guittar, Paul Guittar, and Susan (Devin) Connell, seven grandchildren; Jeremiah, Jordan, Ada, Wayne, Quinn, Aidric, and Liam, and niece Jules Blair. He joins those who went before him including his sisters Sister Assunta (Melsene) and Theresa, grandson Benjamin Rombach, and nephew Steve Bruno.

Norman is fondly remembered as a devout Catholic who was a wonderful husband, father, friend, and true renaissance man. He was a visionary who could create or fix anything. His list of creations included intricate carpentry, welding, sketch artistry, and interior decorating in his own homes. He was a magician and a door-to-door Bible salesman. He taught himself not only how to play the Diddley Bow stringed instrument, but how to make them. He built over 40 Diddley Bows, each unique. Many of these he gave away to a veteran’s group and to friends. He was a major force in running the parish fish fries for many years at St. Mary Magdalen on Kingshighway. He was instrumental in getting the Shroud of Turin tour to include an exhibit at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church. Although not a HAM radio operator, he used his Volt car to power the HAM radio ARES Field Day Events for several years, earning extra points for the organization and a write-up in QST magazine (a HAM radio magazine). He was always happy to share his smile, wisdom, and unwavering hope. Helping others was a personal mission in his life. He loved sports, and was active throughout his life including track, football, volleyball, slow pitch softball, wallyball, ping pong, and canoeing. He enjoyed bike riding all of his life and even more so in the later years when he rode an electric bike. He excelled at many card and board games, and was particularly a formidable checkers player.

As a young man, he was the engineer and the voice for the WHCO radio station in Sparta, IL. for several years, and served in the Navy. He married Dolores Roeper on October 16, 1965. He worked on the Gemini project for McDonnell Douglas. He designed and built a 95.5 percent efficient solar home in Doniphan, Missouri, and was selected to represent Missouri with that home at the 1980 Mid America Solar Energy Center Convention. He was a field engineer and trouble shooter for IBM for 15 years, a technician for Mosler Safe Company for 11 years, and he owned and operated a pallet mill for a short period of time. In later life, he bought, renovated, and made repairs on many houses to help poorer people have a chance at home ownership.

He will be greatly missed.

Visitation will be held at Hoffmeister Colonial Mortuary, located at 6464 Chippewa Street, St. Louis, MO 63109, on February 22, 2026, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. A second Visitation will take place at St. Lucy Parish (St. Joan of Arc Campus), 5821 Pernod Ave, St. Louis, MO 63139, on February 23, 2026, from 9:00 am to 10:30 am.

The Funeral Mass will be held at St. Lucy Parish (St. Joan of Arc Campus) on February 23, 2026, at 10:30 am. The Committal will follow at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, 2900 Sheridan Rd, St. Louis, MO 63125, at 12:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to The African Ministry Fund Attn: Sr. Toni Temporiti. 4949 Columbia Ave, St. Louis, MO 63139.