Glenda Keith Guyton

Glenda Keith Guyton of Cumming, Georgia, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 9, 2025, just a few months shy of her 90th birthday. She was born October 29, 1935, in Borger, Texas, as the third of four daughters to Raymond and Myrtle Balentine Keith.

Glenda graduated from Borger High School. She had a core group of lifetime friends from Borger, Lily Yamada, Myra Kaplan, Charlene Blackburn, and Virginia Nelson, all of whom preceded her in death. Genda earned a scholarship to study music at Texas Women's University in Denton. She transferred to Texas Tech University earning a degree in Music Education. One of her favorite stories involved a trip with the Texas Tech Choir to New York City, where they performed on the Ed Sullivan Show. Glenda continued her education at the University of Oklahoma, where she obtained her master's degree in educational Guidance.

Soon after graduation, Glenda was offered what she considered to be the opportunity of a lifetime by Dean of Women Sarah L. Healy at the University of Alabama. After only four days on campus, Dean Healy added Cheerleader Sponsor to Glenda's list of job responsibilities. She left the following day for a football game in Athens, Georgia, supervising eight students who were only one or two years younger than she was. Another new University employee, Walter Guyton, was directed to attend the trip as well and the Alabama/Georgia game became their first date. Walter and Glenda married two years later.

That weekend marked the beginning of what Glenda would describe as "an eight-year love affair with Alabama football." In all, she and Walter attended 88 consecutive Alabama football games as cheerleader sponsors, traveling to the Liberty Bowl, the Bluebonnet Bowl, the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl. Glenda remained an avid supporter of Alabama football throughout her life, cherishing the many friends she made during that exciting time.

Glenda had a remarkable professional career that spanned more than five decades. At Alabama, she served as Assistant to the Dean of Women throughout the 1960s, advising women's organizations and facilitating the historic desegregation of the campus.

After Walter completed his doctoral studies, the couple moved to Jefferson City, Tennessee, where Glenda worked at Walter's State in Morristown. After seven (7) years, they returned to Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama, where she served as adviser to returning adult students, assistant to the Dean of Students and Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs. Soon after returning to Alabama, Walter died unexpectedly, and Glenda faced the daunting responsibility of raising two young daughters on her own, a feat she accomplished with incredible energy and grace.

Following her retirement from Alabama in 1983, Glenda returned to her hometown of Borger, Texas, and worked as Dean of Students and Acting President at Frank Phillips College. Glenda's return to Borger gave her the opportunity to spend precious time with her parents, sisters and their families, as well as develop a significant number of life-long friendships. In 2001, Glenda retired again, but it didn't last long. She relocated back to Tuscaloosa, where she started her final career as an Outreach Coordinator at Capstone Village.

Glenda's life was marked by service. She was actively involved in the Tuscaloosa and Borger Rotary Clubs, Women of the Capstone, Kappa Alpha Theta alumnae association, the Tuscaloosa Symphony Guild, Calvary Baptist Church, and The Other Club. Though she received too many personal and professional accolades to mention, two of note include the 2013 Excellence in Advising Award by the Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society and the University of Alabama Student Affairs Hall of Fame. Glenda positively impacted generations of college students with her caring dedication to their personal and professional development.

A woman of devout faith, Glenda prioritized church attendance and service. She loved singing in the choir, playing handbells, and was an active member of Calvary Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and the First Baptist Church of Borger, Texas.

Despite her professional and civic accomplishments, Glenda's greatest joy was her family. Her daughters Amy and Beth enjoyed many loving years with her, having shared the common bonds of sisterhood in Kappa Alpha Theta and a love of the University of Oklahoma (except when the Sooners played the Crimson Tide). She was close to her late sisters June Voight, Dona Pavillard, and Jan Summers, as well as their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Glenda continued to be close to Walter's family and was blessed by the close relationships she held with her brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and extended family.

In addition to her daughters, Glenda is survived by her adoring grandchildren Charlie, Quade, Caroline, Molly, and Will, as well as her sons-in-law Trae Cooley and Clinton Childs. The family thanks and acknowledges the loving support Glenda received in her final days from the staff at Brickmont Johns Creek and her wonderful caregiver, Marie Sanon.

Glenda's Memorial Service will be at Calvary Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Saturday, August 23rd at 1:30 p.m., followed by a 5:00 p.m. Celebration of Life at the University Club, one of Glenda's favorite places in the world. For those wishing to attend, a graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning in the York Memorial Cemetery, in York, Alabama.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Walter R. Guyton Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund at the University of Alabama at give.ua.edu, to the Delta Omicron Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta, or to the charity of your choice.