Emily Guion died on February 24, 2025 at Clair Bridge Memory Care with her family by her side. She was 103 years old. Emily regularly noted that she was “just a preacher’s kid from the Ozarks” and was genuinely astonished at the amazing life she lived.
Mary Emily Firestone Guion was born on August 3, 1921, to Rev. O.S. and Cleora Firestone. Her friends called her “hot rock.” As a pastor’s kid, she moved often. In the third grade or so, Mary Emily was one of too many Marys and she was called Emily thereafter. Emily loved playing outdoors with her brothers and won prizes for her pitching.
During World War II she volunteered as a nurse’s aide, but didn’t enjoy it much. After graduating from Central College in Missouri, she ruled out teaching and secretarial work. As a woman in the1940s, she didn’t have many other options. After some time working in a library, she discovered her joy, and, because at the age of 23 or so she knew she would be an old maid, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Peabody Library School. She made life-long friends. Following graduation, she was recruited to work at the Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The first Sunday in this new town, Emily took the bus to church. She arrived too early for worship and too late for Sunday School but was rather insistently pulled into a class that had already started. A young man in that classroom, Robert Guion, was immediately smitten by her, but she was wearing gloves (the custom of the time) and he couldn’t see if she was wearing a wedding ring. He went to the library the next day to check her left hand. Their first date was on August 3, which happened to be her 25th birthday. Not knowing what to say after the date (his usual lines didn’t seem quite right), Bob Guion said, “I’ll see you sometime.” And indeed, he did. On September 6, Bob proposed, and on June 8, 1947, they married. Bob Guion was well known by many people and had an illustrious career. He always credited Emily as the reason for his success.
They had five children, eleven grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. She recited “The Puffin” for each generation, using great expression. She recited the poem with her children just days before her death. As a child, she got into trouble for whistling at school; fortunately, that didn’t stop her from making music throughout her life. She whistled in multiple ways – beautiful melodies and loud piercing whistles to call her children home for dinner. She continued to be physically active throughout her life – winning volleyball tournaments with her team the “ladybugs,” and walking several miles most days of the week.
Emily was engaged in service all her life. She volunteered as a librarian in nearly every school attended by her children. She was a faithful member of the First United Methodist Church, serving on every committee at one time or another and was church librarian. She was often among the first to arrive and the last to leave for events and services. Emily and Bob hosted international students from Bowling Green State University for more than 30 years. She was an active PEO sister and volunteered as a messenger in the hospital. She worked with Wheeled Meals beginning in the early 1970s and continued volunteering in every position until 2014, when she retired at 93.
Emily was well known in Bowing Green for teaching people how to make hand-dipped chocolates, a skill she learned from her mother-in-law. This family tradition, begun in the 1930’s, has continued into a fifth generation. Emily often credited her long life to a piece of chocolate every day!
Family was Emily’s highest priority. Emily and Bob’s 65-year marriage exemplified the very best that a relationship could be. They were partners in all things, valued each other in every decision, and always put each other first. They traveled extensively, visiting students they had hosted all over the world. Emily loved her children, encouraged their curiosity and interests, and attended performances, recitals, and concerts. She was proud of their achievements. Emily was delighted with her grandchildren and so pleased to become a great grandmother.
Emily was preceded in death by her brothers, Lyman, David, and Robert, her grandchildren, Jennifer and Ethan, and her beloved husband Bob Guion. She is survived by children David, Diana (Jim) White, Keith (Wendy) Guion, Pam (Tim) Lillard, and Judy (Eric) Guion-Utsler, and grandchildren, Erin, Carrie, Matthew, Cassie, Jeffrey, Ben, Heather, Emily and Wesley, and great grandchildren Marcus, Lucas, Leah, Malcolm, Theo, Bennett, and Cai.
A celebration of Emily’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on March 29 at First United Methodist Church in Bowling Green. Family will be there to greet friends at 10:00 and there will be a luncheon following the service. Emily’s favorite color was red; feel free to wear red in her memory. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the First United Methodist Choral Scholars program and to PEO for women’s scholarships. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Dunn Funeral Home in Bowling Green.
