Winthrop N. Gutmann

02/01/2002

Winthrop N. Gutmann, 73, of 42 Sunrise St. died Friday while skiing in Zermatt, Switzerland. Born in Pittsfield on Aug. 10, 1928, son of Winthrop P. and Blanche M. Seiders Gutmann, he attended local schools. He graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1946. While in school, he was an avid skier and received the Skimeister Award at the Pittsfield Winter Carnival for placing in all four ski events: downhill, jumping, slalom and cross-country. After graduation, he enlisted in the Army and served with the military police in Japan during the U.S. occupation. While in Japan, he entered Japan's first organized event called the "Shiga" Bowl in January 1947, which was organized by the United States military. He won the downhill event, which was featured during the 1998 broadcast of the Nagano Olympics. After his discharge in 1948, he attended the University of Tennessee and returned to Pittsfield. In 1948, he was certified by the United Eastern Ski Association as professional ski instructor. He worked in that capacity for several of the local ski area ski schools. Mr. Gutmann was employed by the E.D. Jones Co. and Byron Weston Paper Co. before joining Crane & Co. Inc. in the sales department in 1960. He retired in 1993, as international sales manager for the business and social papers divisions. After his retirement, he became interested in the arts and sciences and developed a talent that focused on painting nature scenes. He compiled a portfolio of nearly 200 pieces and donated some to nonprofit organizations and others to friends and family members. He was a parishioner of North American Martyrs Parish, where he taught religious education and served as lector and Eucharistic minister. He was chairman of the Future of Hope campaign and served on the Allocation Board for the Office of Stewardship and Development for the Diocese of Springfield. He was active in the town of Lanesboro affairs and served on the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Sewer Commission. At the time of his death, he was a member of the Lanesboro Cemetery Committee and was the veteran's service officer for the town. He also was a member of the Pittsfield Winter Sports Committee and served as its chairman in 1959. He was a former member of the Mount Greylock Ski Club and Ski School and served on the Berkshire Hills Chapter of the Massachusetts Citizens for Life, where he received recognition for his outstanding commitment. He was a member of the Seventy Plus Ski Club, the Dalton Arts and Crafts Guild and the Damien Cancer Support Group. He enjoyed the outdoors, gardening, walking, sailing and skiing. His wife, the former Mary Ann Mullens, whom he married Nov. 25, 1950, died Dec. 17, 1997. He leaves two daughters, Catherine Eddy of Pittsfield and Dr. Winifred Morenz of Keene, N.H.; five sons, Winthrop P. Gutmann of Adams, Robert J. Gutmann of Lenox Dale, Charles P. Gutmann of Suffern, N.Y., Mark J. Gutmann of Morganstown, W.Va., and James F. Gutmann of Setauket, N.Y., and 20 grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Friday, Feb. 8, at 9:15 a.m. from DERY FUNERAL HOME, with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at St. Charles' Church, celebrated by the Rev. Peter A. Gregory, pastor. Burial will follow in St. Joseph's Cemetery. Calling hours will be Thursday, Feb. 7, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Mr. Gutmann may be made to the Damien Group, North American Martyrs Parish, or Dalton Arts and Crafts Guild, all in care of DERY FUNERAL HOME, 54 Bradford St., Pittsfield 01201.

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