Diane Lawrence Guthrie

Diane Lawrence Guthrie, 68, of Gloucester, passed away Wednesday, March 4­, 2020, at the Crystal Coast Hospice House in Newport.

Her funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 7, 2020, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Harkers Island, officiated by Brother Billy Paylor. Interment will follow at Vergie Mae Cemetery.

Diane was born on July 31, 1951 to Benton Walker Lawrence and Mary Louise Lewis. She grew up in Marshallberg in a commercial fishing family. Diane has a sister, Merita, and had two beloved brothers, Elijah Thomas “ET” Lawrence and Burleson Lawrence. Her father and brother, ET, worked the waters of Core Sound all their life. As a little girl she would go out shrimping with them on her brother’s trawler the “Merita D”. Her brother first named the boat Merita and later, after she was born, ET added the “D” for an obvious reason. Diane grew up to love her community and during her childhood she attended the Marshallberg Free Will Baptist Church where her faith and belief in Jesus Christ began. Like so many in the small community, she also grew to love the surrounding waters and the work involved in the fishing industry. She loved standing on the deck of the Merita D culling shrimp. Consequently, she developed skill and a love for seafood that would follow her into adulthood. She was well known for her ability to head four to five shrimp at a time with each hand. She learned to cook from her mother Mary and could make the best pot of hard crabs you would have ever eaten.

At the age of 18 years, she was converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ and was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on October 4, 1969. She and her high school sweetheart, Heber, had been dating since 1967 and on December 31, 1969 they were married. In later years, after Meredith was born, they were sealed as a family in the Washington, DC Temple on May 19, 1976 for time and all eternity. Soon after joining the church, Diane was asked to sing in the Ward Choir which she accepted and actively participated in until her recent sickness. In addition to this, she held close to her heart the blessings and covenants she received in the Holy Temple of the Lord. She lived a life of faith and believed the Savior’s Gospel was restored to the Earth by the boy prophet Joseph Smith.

Diane’s life was an example of the Savior Jesus Christ’s teachings of compassionate service. She cared dearly for children and worked as a volunteer at Smyrna Elementary School. She gained employment as a Teacher’s Assistant with Miss. Doris Murray from which developed a lifelong friendship. Additionally, she was also a full-time bus driver for 22 years. As a result of this, she is beloved by multiple generations of students and teachers at Smyrna Elementary. To many she is known as “Miss Diane” and to her extended family she will forever be known as “Aunt Di”.

Diane’s service and compassion extended to her church family as well. She loved working in the church, and her favorite calling was working in the Ward Library. She enjoyed running copies, searching for pictures and other teaching aids. She would always volunteer to help with clean up after church events. She was very driven to pursue things she believed in. She helped multiple elderly people with transportation and genuinely cared for people more than herself, a sentiment everyone would agree on.

She loved baseball and her favorite teams were the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs. Her favorite NASCAR driver was Mark Martin. She attended every baseball game her son ever had. She loved taking day trips to Ocracoke by the Cedar Island Ferry and the thrill of roller coasters. Many would say though, she was small in stature but had a power like dynamite to get things done. Above all this, was her devotion to her two children and husband. She loved and stood by Heber’s side for all fifty years of marriage. She made their well being her lifelong priority. This devotion was also imparted to her grandchildren in later years. She took every opportunity to spoil them and love them with all she had. They seemed to complete her life with an ending purpose. They became the jewels in her crown.

Diane’s family and friends will miss her, but they rejoice in knowing that she waits for them with other loved ones beyond the veil.

She is survived by her husband, Heber M. Guthrie of the home; daughter, Meredith Diane Guthrie of Morehead City; son, Clifford Guthrie and wife Michelle Lee Ann of Newport; sister, Merita Eubanks and husband Ivey of Marshallberg; and grandchildren, Ethan McKay Guthrie, Piper Lee Ann Guthrie and Sonny McKay Guthrie.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Benton Walker Lawrence and Mary Louise Lawrence; brothers, Elijah Thomas “ET” Lawrence and Burleson Lawrence; and grandson, Seth McKay Guthrie.

The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 7­, 2020, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Harkers Island.

Flowers are welcome or memorial may be made in memory of Miss Diane to the American Cancer Society at 930-B Wellness Dr., Greenville NC 27834.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory in Morehead City, NC.