Edward "Ed" Gutmann

Edward “Ed” Gutmann, Jr., age 80, of West Des Moines, Iowa, passed away peacefully on September 15, 2025 after a long battle with interstitial lung disease. He was born on August 3, 1945, in Omaha, Nebraska, to Edward and Grace Duffield Gutmann and graduated from Central High School.

Following high school, Ed proudly served in the U.S. Army as a member of the Special Forces, where he was a Green Beret and paratrooper. After his honorable discharge as a rank of specialist, he pursued a career in healthcare, attending the Nebraska Methodist Hospital School of Nursing to become a Registered Nurse. He later earned his certification in anesthesia from the Southwest Missouri School of Anesthesia and worked as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) in Waterloo, Iowa; Worthington, Minnesota; and Buffalo, Minnesota.

On December 11, 1971, Ed married the love of his life, Sherry (Lynch) Gutmann, in Tracy, Minnesota. Together they raised three sons—Erik, Brian, and Marc—in Worthington, Minnesota.

Ed wanted to be known first and foremost for being a good Christian and a loving follower of Jesus. He had a deep passion for life and a wide range of interests. Ed also enjoyed boy scouts, working on cars with his father, was an avid boxer, practiced karate, and loved snowmobiling and spending time at the lake. He was known for his kind and patient nature, his love of grilling, his infectious laughter, and his ability to strike up a conversation with anyone. Above all, Ed cherished time spent with family and friends.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Sherry, of West Des Moines; his three sons: Erik (Andriena) Gutmann of Redondo Beach, California; Brian (Mindy) Gutmann of Creston, Iowa; and Marc (Eben) Hutchison of Providence, Rhode Island. Ed was a proud grandfather to seven grandchildren: Dylan Gutmann of Vermillion, South Dakota; Samantha and Daniel Gutmann of Redondo Beach, California; Hailey and Faith Gutmann of Creston, Iowa; and Philomena and Julian Hutchison of Providence, Rhode Island.

He is also survived by his sisters, Elizabeth (Charlie) Senger of Okemos, Michigan, and Margaret (Pat) Kline of Bedford, Texas, along with many loving nieces and nephews. Ed was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Grace Gutmann.

He will be remembered for his service, his compassion, his humor, and his unwavering love for his family.

A visitation will be held Wednesday, September 17, 2025 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Ernst Funeral Home, Waukee.  Ed will be laid to rest in a private graveside service at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery on Thursday morning.  A celebration of life memorial service will be held Thursday, September 18, 2025 at 11:00 a.m., also at the funeral home. Ed's celebration of life service will be live-streamed and can be viewed at service time via: www.facebook.com/ernstfuneralcremation

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Hope Ministries (www.hopeiowa.org)