Martha Lee Gutmann and Robert Gutmann

Martha Lee Gutmann (1937-2026), Robert E. Gutmann (1937-2024) Martha Lee (Gronenberg) Gutmann joined her husband, Robert “Bob” Ernst Gutmann, in loving eternity on March 26, 2026. Bob passed away on April 15, 2024 at the age of 87. Martha and Bob were happily married for 64 years. Both were born in 1937, Martha in Chicago, Illinois on September 22, 1937 and Bob in Chemnitz, Germany on January 26, 1937. Martha was the daughter of John and Frances Gronenberg and grew up in the city of Chicago. Martha attended Purdue University for two years then transferred to Chicago Wesley Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. She was introduced to Bob through a blind date, and he proposed marriage a few months shy of her completing nursing school. At the time, student nurses were required to live in the residence hall. At the age of 22 and in love, she chose marriage and instead completed her education by earning a Bachelor’s Degree in teaching at Northwestern in Chicago. Even so, Martha never lost sight of her dream of becoming a Registered Nurse. Twenty years later and while still raising children, she attended Union College and Elizabeth General Medical Center School of Nursing in New Jersey to earn her degree. She worked as a Registered Nurse at Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center and Overlook Medical Center in New Jersey for many years. Her husband, Bob, was the love of her life and best friend. The son of Franz and Gertrude Gutmann, Bob came to the United States via Ellis Island in New York City at the age of two with his mother, brother, and cousin. He grew up in Queens, New York and St. Petersburg, Florida. He graduated from Oberlin College in 1958 with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. While at Oberlin, at 6 feet 6 inches in height, he played with the Oberlin Cagers basketball team and was a member of the starting five. After graduating from Oberlin, he earned his MBA from the University of Chicago. His career over the next 40 years began with roles in finance and ultimately shifted his expertise to Information Systems in both corporate and healthcare settings. Bob held IT executive leadership roles at both corporate and healthcare institutions in New York, New Jersey, and Little Rock, Arkansas before retiring with Martha to Bloomington. Martha lived a life of service and encouraged its value within her family. Martha was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. Before she earned her nursing degree, she volunteered her time to many causes. She most loved her time with the Berkeley Heights New Jersey Rescue Squad where she treated patients and even drove the ambulance known as the “big rig.” Here in Bloomington, she prepared and served meals at the First United Methodist Church Soup Kitchen in Bloomington, Indiana, and she served on the House Corporation Board for the Pi Beta Phi sorority chapter at Indiana University, Bloomington. Martha also trained her dog as a therapy pet to support residents at several facilities including Bell Trace Health and Living. Martha loved singing with the Wesley Choir at First United Methodist and did so joyfully for many years. Before his retirement, Bob enjoyed mentoring others. After retiring, Bob joined Martha’s mission by devoting more energy to serving others. He was a Rotarian here in Bloomington, served as Treasurer at First United Methodist, volunteered at IU’s Kelley School of Business, and helped others through Volunteers in Medicine. Martha and Bob were married on March 19, 1960. As a married couple, they were longtime residents of Mount Prospect, Illinois and Berkeley Heights, New Jersey before moving to Little Rock, Arkansas and ultimately to Bloomington, IN in 1999. They raised three daughters, sent them to college, saw them marry, and experienced the joy of being grandparents. In their later years, they enjoyed several remarkable trips to places in Europe, South America, and the South Pacific. They also would spend winter months in Sarasota, Florida. Martha and Bob spent their final years side-by-side at Cedar Creek of Bloomington, Memory Care, where they enjoyed watching ball games, holding hands at dinner, and visiting with family. Martha and Bob shared a beautiful life together and will be missed. They are survived by their three daughters and their husbands, Deborah and Bob Harman of Bloomington, Indiana, Karen and Kevin Engemann of Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, and Ruth and John Andrew Philpott of Hoboken, New Jersey. They are also survived by their two grandsons, Michael Harman of Dallas, Texas and Kyle Engemann of Fairfax, Virginia. Martha and Bob were preceded in death by their parents and Bob’s brother Peter Gutmann of Manhasset, New York. In accordance with Martha and Bob’s wishes, cremation was chosen. A private family gathering in celebration of their lives and marriage will be held at a historic location they loved in beautiful southern Indiana in June 2026. To memorialize Martha and Bob, in lieu of flowers, a donation to Indiana Sheltie Rescue is requested. Please visit the link below and click the Donate button in the left column to make your donation. https://indianasheltierescue.org/

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Martha Lee Gutmann and Robert Gutmann

September 22, 1937 - March 26, 2026