Educator, cleric, author.
Born at Clifford, Ontario on 20 July 1896, one of three children (all of whom became teachers) of Henry Gutzke (1866-1955, remarried to Elizabeth Walter with whom he had other children) and Annie Immal (?-1900), he was a brother-in-law of Edward Arnold “Ted” Poyser. In 1901, his father acquired SE32-3-5W from Valentine Winkler and brought his family and a niece from their residence in Ontario to the Park Hill School District. He enrolled at Park Hill School before transferring out-of-district to attend high school at Maple Leaf School at Morden. From there, he went to the Dauphin Normal School (1913) where he was President (1913) of its literary society. He taught at Deer Park School (1914-1916) and possibly returned to Dauphin [or Dauphin area] to teach. Later, he was Principal of Tyndall School (1924-1925).
During the First World War, he served one year (1917-1918) with the Canadian Army Veterinary Corps prior to enlisting at Winnipeg, in April 1918, with the Canadian Forestry and Railway Troops of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. In August 1918, he was transferred to the Siberian Expeditionary Force but was not part of the contingent sent overseas. He remained in Canada and attained a rank of Acting Corporal prior to his military discharge via general demobilization in January 1919.
Returning to his teaching career, he went a rural school district in Saskatchewan and there met the district former teacher, Sarah Bernstein (1896-1976), who was interested in missionary work. They both attended California College, married and had five children: Miriam Anne Gutzke (1925-?, wife of Mr. Burke), Mark Elias Gutzke (1926-2005), John Henry Gutzke (1927-2009), Elizabeth Gutzke (wife of Mr. Green), and Peter Daniel Dutzke (1941-1942). He later remarried to Rachel Gutzke (?-?).
He worked at Winnipeg for the local chapter of the Bible Society and became connected with St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church. By 1926, the family lived at 334 Machray Avenue, by which time he was preaching in Winnipeg, including as Assistant Minister (around September-October 1925) with Reverend Thurlow Fraser at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, which held service at College Theatre, and Minister of this congregation from October 1925 into mid-1927. In 1927, he contemplated a career in law and worked in a law office while attended one year at the Univeristy of Manitoba before withdrawing. He went on to graduate from Bible Institute of Los Angeles, California, and earned his Masters (Psychology) from Southern Methodist University, a Doctorage of Divinity from Austin College at Sherman, Texas, and a PhD degree from Columbia University.
In 1929, he and his family moved to the United States where he taught at Austin College and was Minister of Westminster Presbyterian Church at Dallas, Texas. From 1939 to 1966, he was Professor of English Bible and Christian Education at Columbia Theological Seminary at Decatur, Georgia, after which he established “The Bible For You” radio production out of Atlanta and also began publishing a series of “Plain Talk” books, pamphlets, and other written materials. He stepped away from his own ministry efforts in 1987. On occasion, he returned to Manitoba for a guest preacher appearances and teaching events in Winnipeg and Morden.
He died at Decatur, Georgia on 13 December 1993 and was buried in the Decatur Cemetery. A digitized archive of his published works is maintained by his descendants at TheBibleForYou.org.
1901 and 1911 Canada censuses, Automated Genealogy.
1926 Canada census, Library and Archives Canada.
Birth [Walter Gutzke] and death [Lorinda Gutzke, Elizabeth Gutzke] registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Attestation papers, Canadian Expeditionary Force, Library and Archives Canada.
“Examinations for entrance,” Winnipeg Tribune, 25 July 1908, page 13.
“Many students pass teachers’ examinations [Must pass in spelling],” Manitoba Free Press, 28 July 1910, page 3.
“Results of teachers’ examinations announced [Second Class],” Winnipeg Tribune, 27 July 1911, page 3.
“With the Normalites,” Dauphin Herald, 11 September 1913, page 7.
“With the Normalites,” Dauphin Herald, 6 November 1913, page 6.
“Northern District Teachers’ Convention,” Dauphin Herald, 11 November 1915, page 1.
“Forty-six rinks enter in military bonspiel today,” Manitoba Free Press, 28 January 1918, page 28.
Obituary [Laura Gutzke], Brandon Daily Sun, 19 May 1922, page 10.
“"Churches,” Winnipeg Tribune, 12 September 1925, page 13.
“Church notes [Manford G. Gutzke ...],” Manitoba Free Press, 26 September 1925, page 24.
“Churches [At the College theatre services],” Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 26 September 1925, page 16.
“Churches [Dr. Thurlow Fraser ...],” Winnipeg Tribune, 3 October 1925, page 18.
“Churches,” Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 31 October 1925, page 16.
“[Ad; Broaway United Church],” Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 31 October 1925, page 16.
“[Ad; North Winnipeg Presbyterians],” Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 31 October 1925, page 16.
“Church notes [The North Winnipeg Presbyterian services in the College theatre ...],” Manitoba Free Press, 14 November 1925, page 31.
“St. John’s Presbterian (College Theatre),” Manitoba Free Press, 9 October 1926, page 26.
“Opening services in Elmwood,” Manitoba Free Press, 14 May 1927, page 28.
“Results of Manitoba University examinations are made public [Second Year - Arts and Science - Junior Division],” Manitoba Free Press, 18 May 1927, pages 8-9.
“Church notes [at St. John’s Presbyterian Church ...],” Manitoba Free Press, 11 June 1927, page 19.
“Church notes [Rev. aMnford G. Gutzke - sic],” Manitoba Free Press, 16 August 1930, page 26.
“St. John’s Presbyterian Church,” Manitoba Free Press, 16 August 1930, page 26.
“Austin [Mrs. Trevor Poyser],” MacGregor Herald, 23 August 1934, page 5.
“Dr. M. Gutzke to be heard at Elim Chapel,” Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 15 July 1939, page 23.
“Dr. Manford Gutzke at Elim Chapel,” Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 22 July 1939, page 17.
“Dr. Mansford Gutske [sic] completes ministry,” Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 29 July 1939, page 17.
Portage la Prairie estate files (ATG 0064A), #8900 - Henry Gutzke, GR0348, Archives of Manitoba.
“Presbytery meet planned in Selkirk,” Selkirk Enterprise, 18 June 1958, page 6.
“Still chance to hear Dr. Gutzke,” Winnipeg Free Press, 21 June 1958, page 23.
“Dr. M. F. Gutzke arrives July 4,” First Presbyterian Church News [Baton Rouge, Louisiana], 5 July 1959, page 1.
“Austin district news,” MacGregor Herald, 18 August 1976, page 4.
“Dr. Gutzke at Elim Chapel,” Steinbach Carillon, 3 May 1978, page 26.
Portage la Prairie estate files (ATG 0064A), #16558 - Walter Henry Gutzke, GR2426, Archives of Manitoba.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 15 January 1994, page C9.
Decatur Cemetery burial transcriptions, FindAGrave.
Ten Dollars And A Dream; Parkhill - Cheval, edited by Reta Shore, Parkhill & Cheval Community Club, pages 155-158.
TheBibleForYou.org.
Decatur Cemetery burial transcriptions, FindAGrave.
Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Henderson Directories Limited, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 23 September 2023
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