David Robert Guntert
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Memorial services for David Robert Guntert, 64, Lawrence will be held at 3:00 p.m. Monday, February 27, 2017 at The Prairie (South on E 1900 Road, SE of Lawrence (near the ski lake and practice golf course) Approximately 1.99 miles West on N 1150 Road to top of hill (sight on left side of road) (.37 miles). Family property that was donated to Kansas Land Trust a few years back. It is original prairie grass so please bring lawn chairs if you would like sit. David passed away Tuesday, February 21, 2017 at his home.
David was born May 3, 1952 in Topeka, KS the son of Robert H. and Veneta (Kump) Guntert.
He was a graduate of Topeka West High School and went on to receive his Bachelor of Liberal Arts & Sciences from the University of Kansas in 1974 and Master of Arts Geography from the University of Kansas in 1978.
He was a member of the Triangle Fraternity at KU, GIS (Geographic Information Systems), and The Arc of Douglas County (For People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities).
David worked for the City of Lawrence, KS as a City Planner for nearly 40 years since beginning in 1977. He joined the City Planning Department when there was one Director and only two Planners and watched it grow to the large and full capacity of staff as of today, as the City grew and expanded. During his tenure, he was involved in many aspects of the business working with staff support of the Board of Zoning Appeals, Planning Commission and City Commission Boards. He also worked on the preparation of multiple long-range documents as a policy/research planner in his early years in the office. These plans included Neighborhood Plans, Plan 95, the Douglas County Guide Plan, the Downtown Comprehensive Plan and Horizon 2020. He provided staff support and analysis for four Decennial Census periods. He provided countless hours of behind the scenes work to build and maintain various data layers on the City’s Geographic Information System. Previously worked for Pete Whitenight at Men’s Town Shop
Clothiers from 1974 to 1977 in downtown Lawrence.
He married Teresa Frances on June 25, 1978 in Lawrence. She survives of the home.
Other survivors include three children, Jordan Schyler Guntert, Lawrence, Ehren David Guntert, Dallas, TX, Tayler Frances Guntert, Aurora, CO; one brother, John Albert Guntert, Topeka; brother-in-law, Timothy Hearshman, Olathe, KS; nephew, Dan (Daniel) Hearshman and his wife, Tracy, Olathe; and uncle, Don Gardner and his wife, Beverly, Lawrence. He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Margaret Anne Guntert Hearshman, Olathe.
He was a faithful, dedicated and supportive father, husband, son and sibling and was known to all, throughout his life, for his enduring stability, humbleness, steadiness and huge heart of compassion. He fell deeply in love with Jesus as a young man as he would constantly seek to serve Him boldly in whatever capacity God would direct him. Over the past several years he joined his wife to minister in the streets of Lawrence in order to reach the lost and offer healing to those in need, operated a Healing Room Ministry, opened his home to strangers off the streets to detox and restore, offered a Fathering role to those who were in need and lent a steady hand to all who were seeking peace and restoration. He was the Rock behind supporting his wife who continues to go about ministering to the hurting and lost locally while he stayed faithful to his work with the City in order to financially support their ministries, never asking for alms or seeking tax deductions. He truly saw the vision of the church of Jesus functioning outside the walls of buildings just as in the days of old.
Memorials may be made in his name to the Healing Streams Ministry or TARC and may be sent in care of the Warren-McElwain Mortuary.
Online condolences may be posted at warrenmcelwain.com.
Teri and Family,
David’s work family here at city hall will forever hold the fondest memories of David. He was the most genuine, calm, positive-minded person in the office and will be missed beyond compare. We loved sharing in his habits of many, many coffee runs throughout the day! And that wide smile – my gosh, it always put bad days in perspective for me personally. David gave this community so much of himself and it was my greatest honor to be able to get to know him professionally and personally. Hang in there and know we are ALL thinking of you! – Scott
Teri and Family,
David’s work family here at city hall will forever hold the fondest memories of David. He was the most genuine, calm, positive-minded person in the office and will be missed beyond compare. We loved sharing in his habits of many, many coffee runs throughout the day! And that wide smile – my gosh, it always put bad days in perspective for me personally. David gave this community so much of himself and it was my greatest honor to be able to get to know him professionally and personally. Hang in there and know we are ALL thinking of you! – Scott
Over the decades, as a private citizen of Lawrence, whenever David was referred to me as the “Planner of the Day” I knew my questions would be answered with care and consideration–at times the answers were not what I would have preferred–but David always explained the situation with incite for the greater betterment of Lawrence as a whole and how my project would fit for a more desirous outcome.
Teri. We are in New Mexico presently and heard about David. Our thoughts and prayers are with you always. Seems like time flys by so quickly. How long ago did we first meet you and David? At least 25-30 years ago? Memories of you, our friends, will always be with you. God bless you & hold you in His loving arms. Hank and Mary
Teri & Family, So sorry to hear of David’s passing. Our thought’s and Prayers are with you all.
Teri & family; Ann & I are very sorry to hear of Dave’s passing. I always enjoyed talking with Dave. I referred to him as my “Favorite Bureaucrat”. I know that he attended many meetings after 5PM & preformed a great service to all of us living in Lawrence. We will miss him.
Teri and Family,
David was a pleasure to work with here at City Hall as was nicely articulated by Scott McCullough in his post here. I always enjoyed the opportunity to visit with David and was always greeted with a wonderful smile and positive energy that he brought to his work and his interactions here. He will be missed. My sincerely condolences. -Diane Stoddard, City of Lawrence
Dear Teri and the Guntert Family,
Dan and I had the good fortune of working with David for several years and sharing more than a few beverages and stories with him outside of work. David was unfailingly kind and compassionate to everyone and his laugh always elevated the mood of any room he entered. We were so sorry to hear of your loss and are thinking of you and your family.
Dan and Staci
Dear Teri, Ehren, Tayler and Jordan,
David and I have known each other and worked together since I first came to Lawrence in 1978. David’s work was integral to so many behind the scenes number-crunching and mapping tasks, that your loss of him will also be felt by many in this community for a very long time. There are so many projects he took ownership of: keeping up TIGER CENSUS files; staffing the BZA; preparing the CIP; tracking the city’s annexation patterns and growth and the influence of these on future growth patterns. But these are all “surface” contributions he made and by that I mean they are “visible projects”. David’s contributions were so much more than his institutional memory, which was phenomenal in it’s breadth and depth. I consider his major contribution to be the peaceful calm that emanated from his smile and quiet, thoughtful words. It diffused an often stressful office environment. Outside of work, David was an ambassador for his beliefs, for his love of KU, his love of Lawrence, and most of all, his love of his family.
David and I kept in touch through periodic phone calls over the last decade since I left city hall. I will miss our phone conversations where we would catch up on family, friends, and whatever was the topic of the day.
Love and God’s Blessings to all of you.
Linda
Teri-thinking of you and your family; what a wonderful legacy David created. May you carry on all that mattered so much to both of you.
So sorry to hear of your loss. Our prayers are with your family
To David’s family, at home and at City Hall: My thoughts are with you all. Teresa, I’m the guy who came over last fall to see your outstanding water garden and hear how you collected rocks from all over. Dave was such a great person, a great City staffer and friend to me and everyone around us. Sincerest wishes for peace and love to all of you. – Tim
As a fellow fraternity brother, I can attest to Dave’s gentle demeanor and the mutual respect he shared with all of his Triangle brothers. l also remember his perpetual smile. His selfless devotion to family and friends, and to God, comes as no surprise. Thanks, Dave, for setting a great example for all the world. Our prayers go out to all of Dave’s loved ones. – Paul Dexter and wife, Karen, former Triangle Little Sister.
Teri, Jordan, Tayler, Ehren-
I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your husband and dad. All of you are in our thoughts and prayers during this very trying time. Our paths have crossed many times over the years, parents, kids, and life. Know that life and the lord never gives us more than we can handle, and we never handle the big, heavy things alone.
We keep you in our hearts-
The Flanders-
Lisa, Brent, Colin
My condolences to Teri and Family. I worked along David early in my career and he was always very wonderful to work with. We shared a work space together for some time and he was always happy to listen to my issues regarding work and even life. It was a great honor to know such a nice man, wonderful father, and beautiful husband.