Sylvia A. McGuire

Funeral service was held on Sunday, November 20, 2022, 2:00 p.m. at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, 9191 NC Highway 33, Whitakers, North Carolina.  Burial followed in the Kehukie Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, 156 Sherman Drive, Scotland Neck, NC.  There was a public viewing at the church one hour prior to the service from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.  A public visitation was held on Saturday, November 19, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in the chapel of Shawn Lea Funeral Home, 515 East 12th Street, Scotland Neck, NC.

Arrangements were handled by Shawn Lea Funeral Home of Scotland Neck, NC.

Sylvia Ann Smith McGuire was born to Gloria Smith and the late James Foreman on June 17, 1957 in Halifax County. She completed her journey here on earth on November 12, 2022 surrounded by her love ones. She was preceded in death by Ester Smith, Clarence and Albert Smith.

Sylvia always had a love for music even at a young age as she was a member of the youth choir at Kehukie Missionary Baptist Church. After years of being a member of Kehukie, she moved her membership to Crowell’s Baptist Church, where she enjoyed working with the youth and where she became an ordained minister. Sylvia late joined the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church family when her husband became pastor in 2001.

Sylvia was a very hard worker from the time she worked at the Hosiery Mill, Sara Lee and at ACS. To know Sylvia was to know a lady who would give it to you straight, a woman who said what she meant and meant what she said. Her relationships, friendships, and interactions were sincere and impactful.

As a mother she played no games, as a wife she held no punches, and as a friend she, as the young people say “she kept it 100.” Sylvia was full of humor, life and get up and go when the music started playing, the choir started singing, those bass strings plucked, or on Wednesday when Ross got their new shipment. However, at 4 p.m. when Steve Harvey’s Family Feud came on you needed to get somewhere and sit down and she would flll the room with laughter.

She leaves to cherish her memories: her husband of 42 years, Timothy McGuire of Tarboro, North Carolina; sons, Jeffery Smith (Christine) of Rocky Mount, North Carolina and Timothy McGuire of Tarboro, North Carolina; daughters, Timmita McGuire of Greenville, North Carolina and Ashley McGuire of Raleigh, North Carolina; mother, Gloria Smith of New Haven, Connecticut; grandchildren, Talib, DeAntonie, Antoinette, Aaliyah, Jada, Ethan and Zaire; siblings, Annette Sander (Larry) of Suffolk, Virginia, Gary Foreman (Tonya) of Hanover, Maryland and Linda Murphy (Willie) of Bowie, Maryland; aunts, Mamie Cotton, Brenda Stewart, Jean Pippen and Willie Mae Smith; uncle, Curly Smith, Jr.; four special cousins, Debbie, Chris, Staci and Dawn; two special friends, Reverend Alda Williams and Minister Tina Cobb; and a host of other family and friends.

Funeral service was held on Sunday, November 20, 2022, 2:00 p.m. at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, 9191 NC Highway 33, Whitakers, North Carolina.  Burial followed in the Kehukie Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, 156 Sherman Drive, Scotland Neck, NC.  There was a public viewing at the church one hour prior to the service from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.  A public visitation was held on Saturday, November 19, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in the chapel of Shawn Lea Funeral Home, 515 East 12th Street, Scotland Neck, NC.