Dr. Fain A. Guthrie

GUTHRIE, DR. FAIN, 82, passed away peacefully at his home in Birmingham, Alabama on July 5, 2011. He was born in Ray City, Georgia in 1929 to Lucius C. Guthrie and Dona Mae Purvis. He graduated from Greenville High School where he was a noted athlete and senior class president. He then completed his Bachelor Degree at Vanderbilt University, after which he earned his Master Degree in Counseling and Guidance from the University of Alabama and his Doctor of Education Degree in Counseling and Guidance from the University of Florida. He then served two years in the U.S. Armed Services. Dr. Guthrie married Edith Avera from Athens, Georgia on November 29, 1952 and enjoyed 52 years of marriage and raised four children. His passion for education was preeminent. After briefly working as a counselor in Atlanta, Georgia, he joined the faculty of the School of Education at the University of Alabama in 1960 and quickly rose to Professor and Director of the section of Counseling and Guidance. In 1968, he was recruited as the Director of the new Division of Education at the University of Alabama Birmingham, where he worked tirelessly to grow his faculty and student body into the College of Education and became its first Dean in 1971. His passion for basic education resulted in rapid growth of the UAB School of Education, especially its in-service and secondary education programs, which trained hundreds of Alabama teachers. Dr. Guthrie was admired by his faculty and students and received numerous awards for his teaching. He remained Dean and a vocal advocate for education at the state and national levels until his retirement from the position in 1983. For those who knew him, little is required to convey his unique qualities of easy conversation, engaging charm, and wit. He was a voracious reader and had a remarkable knowledge of many subjects. His family remembers his love of music, his guitar playing, and talented singing. He was a master storyteller and loved to recount stories of ordinary people in his life in riveting and colorful detail. He was an active little league baseball coach and was named Coach of the Year when his children played. His quiet confidence comforted many. Dr. Guthrie is survived by his grown children, Bart (Lisa), Steve, Lynn (Mark), and Marc (Dana); and grandchildren, Allison, Will, Davis, William "Bo," Austin, Avera, Michele, Molly, and Luke. Family and friends are invited to a memorial celebration from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, July 8, 2011 at Ridout's Southern Heritage Funeral Home, Pelham. The family requests that memorial gifts be made, and an announcement of the establishment of a special fund is forthcoming.