John J. Gutter, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel who
worked at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington for 28
years, was remembered Aug. 4 as a man devoted to his family,
his faith and his country.
Gutter died July 29 at the age of 71.
A funeral Mass was offered Aug. 4 at Our Lady of Lourdes
Church in Arlington by Father Robert E. Avella, pastor.
Father Phillip M. Cozzi, O’Connell’s chaplain and vice
principal, concelebrated. Deacon Paul Ochenkowski, a former
history teacher at O’Connell, assisted at the liturgy.
Father Avella and Gutter worked together at O’Connell in the
early 1980s.
Born Aug. 25, 1940, in Jersey City, N.J., Gutter attended the
University of Rhode Island on a football scholarship. After
graduation he joined the Marine Corps and served two tours of
duty in Vietnam.
He was wounded in combat in September 1965 while coming to
the aid of a fallen comrade. He spent eight months in the
hospital recuperating. Gutter retired from the Marine Corps
as a lieutenant colonel in 1983, at which time he joined the
O’Connell faculty where he was involved in student
development, facilities management and coaching.
He retired from O’Connell in 2011 after serving as assistant
principal of student life.
“He made important contributions to the personal development
of thousands of students while also lending his project
management experience to all major building projects that
have been undertaken over the past three decades,” said
Principal Joseph Vorbach.
Gutter is survived by his wife, “Ginny,” and their four
children: John Jr. (wife Danielle), Graham (wife Meghan),
Amie (husband Troy), and James, in addition to four
grandchildren: Peyton, Cassidy, Mckenzie and Gabriel.
Donations can be made in memory of John J. Gutter to Boys
Town New York, 444 Park Av. S, Suite 801, New York, NY 10016.
