Mary Elizabeth Gutsche

Most commonly known as “Libbie”, she was born on 14 February 1928 in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, the youngest of three children of Freeland and Via Leslie. She attended the University of Colorado and obtained a BFA degree in painting. During her college years she met and married Graham Gutsche, to whom she has been married for 77 years. Following several years in Minneapolis, Minn. while Graham pursued Graduate studies, the family moved to Annapolis in the summer of 1952. While raising her young family she taught Art classes to children. A strong Evangelical person, she was a founding member of Edgewater Baptist Church in 1955, and then of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Annapolis in 1965. She taught women’s bible studies, and opened her home for a ministry to post-high school young people for fellowship and Bible Study. Following the Roe v. Wade decision, she had a concern to offer physical assistance to those that chose not to have an abortion. To accomplish this she brought Bethany Christian Services to the mid-Atlantic states, opened her home as a maternity home, and served as problem-pregnancy counselor and adoption specialist for 6 years until the lack of formal social work credentials forced her to step aside. Being a very gregarious and social person, she opened a bed and breakfast, The Barn on Howard’s Cove, from which she retired after operating it for 25 years. During all of her married life she loved to travel, and has visited many countries all around the world, but most frequently, Switzerland.

Libbie was the sole remaining member of her birth family. She is survived by her husband, Graham, as well as her three daughters: Catherine Miller, Heidi Thorpe, and Wendy Mays, all residing in Annapolis. Additionally, she has eight grandchildren and twenty-two great grandchildren.

Services and Interment will be private at Wellsview Cemetery.