Who Is Nancy Guthrie? Inside the Life of Savannah Guthrie’s Mother

Nancy Guthrie is the mother of the longtime Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. She has recently drawn international attention after she became the victim of an abduction. Since then, people all over the world have been paying attention to every development in her case.

In the midst of each major update, many observers have wanted answers to simple questions about her. People are searching to learn who she is, where she came from, and what her life was like before she was kidnapped. This article will answer those questions and more.

Nancy Guthrie: Key Facts

• Age: 84 (born January 27, 1942, in Fort Wright, Kentucky)
• Children: Savannah Guthrie, Annie Guthrie, and Charles Camron Guthrie
• Husband: Charles Errol Guthrie (died 1988 at age 49 from a heart attack)
• Residence: Longtime resident of Tucson, Arizona
• Health: Manages chronic heart conditions with a pacemaker and daily medication; limited mobility but mentally sharp and active
• Lifestyle: Avid churchgoer and community member known for kindness, humor, faith, and spunkiness
• Disappearance: Reported missing February 1, 2026, from her Tucson home; case treated as abduction/kidnapping with ransom demands and ongoing FBI investigation

Who Is Nancy Guthrie?

Nancy Guthrie is known publicly as the mother of the host of NBC's Today, Savannah Guthrie. She also has two other children, Annie Guthrie and Charles Camron Guthrie. A longtime resident of Tucson, Arizona, she has lived in the city for decades since the family moved there when Savannah was two years old, according to Business Insider.

She has mostly stayed out of the public spotlight, even as her daughter rose to fame as a journalist. However, Nancy made occasional media appearances alongside Savannah during family-oriented Today segments.

Nancy Guthrie’s Age and Early Life

Nancy Guthrie was born Nancy Ellen Long in 1942 in Fort Wright, Kentucky, which makes her 84 years old today.

She grew up in Cincinnati before attending the University of Kentucky, where she contributed to the school's student newspaper, the Kentucky Kernel. According to Business Insider, she worked as a society editor and staff member while covering Greek for the publication decades before her daughter became a famous journalist.

Nancy met her husband, Charles Guthrie, when they went on a blind date at a University of Kentucky basketball game. During a 2017 Today segment, Savannah Guthrie described how quickly her mom knew she was going to build a life with her father. "The thing I always remember is that my mom said my dad walked up to the door of her sorority, and she looked at him and said, 'That's the man I'm going to marry!'"

The couple would move to Melbourne, Australia, for Charles' work as a mining engineer. They were living in that country when Nancy gave birth to Savannah.

What Was Nancy Guthrie's Career?

When Savannah Guthrie was 16 years old, her father, Charles Guthrie, suddenly died of a heart attack.

After her husband passed away, Nancy Guthrie went to work for the University of Arizona from 1990 until Jan. 1, 2007, according to a Tucson.com profile of her. While there, she initially worked as a spokesperson for the University Medical Center before becoming an associate to the Vice President of University Advancement. In her role at the school, she organized the Center Stage Program, which brought in musicians to perform for the hospital staff, patients, and visitors monthly. She also ran what the school called Medcamp, a program designed to introduce Arizona high school students to the medical field.

What Are the Professions of Nancy Guthrie's Children

A People article about the Guthrie family reveals that her daughter, Annie Guthrie, is a writer, jeweler, and teacher at the University of Arizona Poetry Center. She has also written a book on the craft of jewelry and had her work published in several journals. Her son, Camron Guthrie, is a retired pilot for the Air National Guard.

While it is well known that Savannah Guthrie is a broadcast journalist, many observers don't know the key role her mother played in her daughter's success. The Today show host has credited her mom with encouraging her career.

Nancy Guthrie's Life Before the Headlines

Before she became the subject of an investigation, Nancy was an active member of the community and church in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Tucson.

In February 2026, Savannah described her mother as "a woman of deep conviction" and "a good and faithful servant" on Instagram.

The Tucson.com profile of Nancy Guthrie revealed that a former colleague, a retired University of Arizona vice provost named Elizabeth Ervin, described Nancy as someone who made work upbeat and fun while being "a good leader."

What Is Nancy Guthrie Known For? Why Is Nancy Guthrie in the News?

For many years, Nancy Guthrie was known as the mother of Savannah Guthrie. Now, she has been in the news for days after she was reported missing from her Tucson home on February 1, 2026.

In the days after her disappearance, the public learned that she'd been kidnapped. Since then, Nancy has stayed in the headlines after each update in the case, including when a black glove was found that could potentially provide key DNA evidence. Law enforcement has released images of the suspect in Nancy's abduction.

The #FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance. New images released today show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at… pic.twitter.com/WH76eefgcZ

— FBI Most Wanted (@FBIMostWanted) February 10, 2026