Marilyn Chestnut Guinn

Marilyn Chestnut Guinn The extraordinary and lovely Marilyn Chestnut Guinn died peacefully at 1:45 pm on January 25, 2013. Marilyn was profoundly whimsical and creative. She was an outstanding cook, quilter, gardener, writer, teacher, citizen and friend. Whoever has experienced "the Jekyll" dance will never forget it. After working at the Agriculture Department and the Legislature she went back to school in her fifties to become a teacher. She adored her students and they her. Marilyn was loved and will continue to be loved by family and friends for as long as any of us survive. Marilyn was my best friend and companion for 46 years. From our honeymoon camped in the snows of Yosemite to camps in the high dry mountains of northern Mexico Marilyn was always there. Always helping, guiding and protecting me and the kids and anyone else that needed a level head and a brave heart to ease them through. Marilyn left the formalities of scouting behind in high school but in her entire life she lived the promise. She was honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, and very very courageous and strong. Her strength and courage were particularly evident in her embrace of the various treatments with which her doctors presented her. Marilyn believed deeply that her willingness to experiment, and be experimented upon would help others in the future, and it was in that spirit that she, like her mother, donated her body to medical science. She succumbed to complications from a Glioblastoma multiforme brain tumor. Marilyn is survived by her husband, Ed; her children Edward Guinn (Sharon ), Jack Guinn ( Sara Redar), and Genevieve Guinn (Kristian House) and two lovely grandchildren, Isaac Thaddeus Guinn, and Geraint House. Other family includes her sisters Susan Kramer (Tony) and Deborah Todd (Fred Ireland) and her brother Terence Todd. Nieces and nephews include Kristen Kramer, great niece Isabel Kramer, and Nick Kramer (Liz). We thank Texas Oncology-Austin Brain Tumor Center and Dr. Morris Groves and his staff, in particular the compassionate Rachel Smith, Jessica Fabian, and Colleen and the infusion center nurses. Thanks also to Buckner Hospice, their care and guidance made this sad event endurable. And finally a great and enduring thanks to what the "cool kids" call her BFF, Susan Rife. Susan gave of herself daily, visiting Marilyn and allowing a semblance of normality to drift into the house whenever we needed support. Thanks Susan . We spent a lot of time birding. Sometimes we chased western desert species around Del Rio, then we would head down along the border to Sabal Palm Sanctuary and all the valley spots ; but always ending at Port Aransas and the magical Paradise Pond birding site. Marilyn loved the hunt, chasing and identifying migrating warblers was one of her favorite things and nowhere is that better done than Paradise Pond. No services are planned. To remember Marilyn please contribute to the Marilyn Chestnut Guinn Paradise Pond Willow fund. Checks payable to City of Port Aransas with Marilyn's name in the memo field. Mail to 710 W. Avenue A Port Aransas, TX 78373 Attn: David Hyde .