Trooper Tara-Marysa Guting was remembered for a kindness that colleagues say never wavered, and for a life of service.
TACOMA, Wash. — Eight days after Trooper Tara-Marysa Guting was killed while responding to a crash on Highway 509, law enforcement from across the state gathered to honor a woman they say made people feel seen.
“She had a way of making those around her feel welcomed and valued,” Washington State Patrol Sergeant Tyler Gold said during the service. “She would listen with a true sense of care.”
Guting was born in Hawaii, loved fishing, and cherished time with her family. In 2019, she married her husband, Tim, and the two built a life together that included four pets.
At the front of the church, her sister, Shannen Tanaka, pointed to a small blue cartoon figure placed near the lectern.
“Stitch was her favorite character,” Tanaka told the crowd. “He represents who Tara was, small but strong, gentle but fierce, loving but unafraid to be a little wild.”
Before joining Washington State Patrol, Guting spent eight years in the Army National Guard as a signal intelligence analyst. Her family said she did not drift into law enforcement. She pursued it.
“Her why was simple but not easy,” Tanaka said. “To change the face of law enforcement, turning all the negativity into something positive.”
Troopers filled the pews, many bowing their heads as colleagues described a young officer whose energy reshaped every room she entered.
“In my 30 years I cannot think of somebody that was more upbeat,” Trooper Harison Klever said. “Her attitude was infectious. It spread like wildfire.”
Family and friends say though her life was cut short, he legacy will live on.
“While today our hearts ache with your absence, we know you did not leave us behind,” Tanaka said. “You remain bound to us by a love that does not end, walking with us just beyond our sight until the day we are together again. We love you.”
The Washington State Patrol says the investigation into the crash that took Trooper Guting’s life remains ongoing. Authorities are still searching for the driver of a second vehicle believed to be involved.
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