Barbara Jean Guthrie

Barbara Jean Guthrie, a lifelong educator and beloved mother, passed away Thursday, March 6, 2025, from heart complications. She was 72.

Barb, as she was affectionately known, was born October 25, 1952, in Columbus, Ohio, to David and Ernestine Guthrie. She graduated from Mifflin High School in 1971 and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Bowling Green State University in 1975. She would later complete two additional Master’s Degrees as well as obtain an Administrator Licensure in the state of Ohio.

For more than 50 years, Barb was a staple in the Toledo Public School system, and impacted countless lives of students, teachers, and administrators. As a first-grade teacher at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary, Barb established lifelong connections within the TPS system, and implemented curricular standards that would define her legacy in the classroom. Upon being named Principal at Birmingham Elementary, Barb oversaw a tremendous turnaround in academic success, attendance rates, and student accomplishments, all of which culminated in Birmingham Elementary receiving an ‘Excellent’ rating from the state of Ohio in 2010. Due to her efforts with the school and community, Barb received numerous accolades, including being named the Richard J. Fisher Educator of the Year in 2011 and Friend of the Birmingham Neighborhood Award from the Birmingham Neighborhood Coalition. In her later years, Barb continued to serve the educational community in Toledo by serving as a substitute administrator at schools such as Crossgates Elementary, Mayfair Preschool, Sylvan Elementary, Deveaux Elementary, and McKinley STEMM Academy, among many others.

In addition to her educational accomplishments, Barb was a loving friend to so many in the community and could be frequently seen socializing with friends from throughout her life. From her monthly ‘Retirees Breakfast’ to spending time with her significant other, Frank, Barb always blessed those around her with positivity, love, and laughter. Her compassion and unconditional support of the people she held close knew no bounds and she was always available to provide assistance to anyone who reached out. She will be dearly missed by all those who were fortunate enough to be in her presence.

Barb was preceded in death by her longtime partner, Gerald R. Brown Sr., and is survived by her son, James Brown; her daughter-in-law, Vanessa Callanan; and her four siblings, Richard Guthrie, David Guthrie, Sandra Nusbaum, and Diane Hyson. She was also a devoted Aunt to her many nieces and nephews and enjoyed any moments she was able to spend with them, particularly when supporting their interests and activities.

Friends will be received Saturday, March 22, 2025, from 9:00-11:30 a.m. at Walker Funeral Home, 3500 Navarre Avenue in Oregon, 419-691-6768, with the service to commence at 10:00 a.m., followed by a celebration of her life and accomplishments at the Tony Packo’s Event Center in Downtown Toledo, 7 South Superior Street, 419-350-2012, from 12:00-3:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, and as a testament to her lifelong commitment to education, a memorial scholarship has been generously created in her honor through the TPS Foundation. Donations to the “Barbara Jean Guthrie Memorial Scholarship” can be made online at http:// givetpsf.org or via mail to TPS Foundation, 1609 N. Summit St., Toledo, OH 43604.