Karen Lynne Guthrie

“I’m fine. Watch me dance the jig.” She clearly was not fine but did the jig anyway. Karen Lynne Guthrie, 82, passed away at her home of nearly 50 years on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, surrounded by her family after sparring with lung cancer. She wanted to prevail but had become too sick very quickly. 

She was born January 11, 1943, in Erie, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Thomas and Marian Guthrie, deceased.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sisters, Jeanne Guthrie and Cheryl Levesque, brother-in-law Morrie Levesque, brother David Guthrie, sister-in-law Sharon Guthrie, niece Jennifer Guthrie, and niece-in-law Janis Guthrie. 

Karen graduated from McDowell High School in 1961. She started Guthrie Optical with Jeanne in 1976. After their business closed, she began her second career at Wal-Mart, eventually becoming vision center manager until her retirement in 2010.

After she retired her wardrobe changed to a collection of mostly sweatpants as she was always about comfort over fashion. Her main hobbies were mowing the lawn and working in the flower gardens. Her family teased her for her quick use of any gift cards. Or attempts to use them twice when they were spent. Thank you to Olive Garden for the time they took care of her when she had an empty card and no cash. 

As one of the more stubborn members of the stubborn Guthrie family, she was not deterred by things such as fires (whether in her business or Wegman’s when she was ready to check out), a rotisserie chicken falling on the floor at the store (“we can rinse it!”), snow blowing at 2:30AM, or the need to climb a tree, in her 70s, to trim it (her family disallowed this). It was not a good idea to follow her cooking, cleaning, or painting tips unless you liked your mashed potatoes lumpy, everything stashed under your bed, and paint on the carpet because you didn’t use a drop cloth. But she excelled at building and fixing things well into her life and you could always count on her for any help you needed in addition to funny stories to tell. Need a tool? She had it. 

Karen had a love of steak and sweets, with weekly visits to Texas Roadhouse where she loved seeing her favorite waitress Christine, and a preference for sherbet over anything nutritious while in the hospital. She enjoyed the friendship of her neighbors Tracy, Jeff and Jim, and treasured the companionship of many spoiled pets. It would be true bliss to be reincarnated as one of her pets. 

Karen will be missed the most by her niece, Michelle Tefft. They spoke daily and she always asked “what are you having for dinner?” Everyone should have an aunt as wonderful as Aunt Karen. She is also survived by nephew-in-law, Andy Tefft, nephews John Levesque, David Guthrie and Jeff Guthrie (Sylvia), several cousins, numerous grand-nieces and -nephews, all of Erie. She is also survived by her cat, Bella, who terrorized the hospice nurses in her final days.

The Burton Quinn-Scott Funeral Home, West Ridge, 3801 West 26th Street is handling the arrangements but as per her wishes, visitation will be private. Memorials can be made to any animal charity. Her favorites were the ANNA Shelter, 1555 East 10th, Erie, PA 16511 or Orphan Angels, 5439 West Lake Road, Erie, PA 16505.