AIC Warrior News
Eleanor Guynes Memorial Service to be streamed, Friday, May 20, 2PM
Written by Rachel Dale
Waxahachie, TX – April 26, 2011 – Eleanor Rose Guynes, the wife of Former Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) President Delmer R. Guynes, went to be with the Lord Friday, April 23, 2011 at 8:30 p.m. in Mombasa, Kenya.
Mrs. Guynes was buried in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on May 1, 2011. A memorial service will be held at SAGU AIC on Friday, May 20 at 2:00 pm. Live streaming of the service will be available at www.sagu.tv.
Dr. Guynes shares, “What a wonderful life we have had because a young girl heard the voice of God calling her to China and took step after step in ‘mustard seed faith’ to follow that call … and what great mountains of opportunity and difficulty have moved in response to that ‘mustard seed faith’ planted firmly wherever God has placed her!”
Mrs. Guynes was born on February 7, 1928 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. She enrolled at SAGU AIC in the fall of 1946 despite opposition and limited financial resources. She was introduced to Delmer Guynes in the summer of 1948, and they married Easter morning April 17, 1949.
Their opportunity to work in China was hindered in 1949 when it became a closed country. But, they received an opportunity to pastor a church in Caldwell, TX, in 1952. Approximately two years later, they were approved missionaries to Malaysia (Malaya at the time). By the end of 1954, they pastored the only structured Assemblies of God church in Malaysia.
The Guynes started the construction of the Bible Institute of Malaysia in 1958. In 1965 they returned to Dallas, where Eleanor received a master’s degree in elementary education at Southern Methodist University. While Dr. Guynes pastored at University Assembly of God Church of Waxahachie and served as SAGU’s Academic Dean, Eleanor taught in the Midlothian school system.
In 1968, they moved to Springfield, MO, where she was a faculty member at Central Bible College (CBC) for 12 years. During this time, she earned a second master’s degree in Cross Cultural Communication at the Assembles of God Theological Seminary.
SAGU AIC History Professor and CBC Alumnus Gary McElhany recalls, “My earliest memories of CBC include Eleanor Guynes. Her love for people and commitment to missions made a lasting imprint. As a pastor, the annual missions conventions always included something gleaned from her missions class. In fact, the class project became the foundation for several of my missions sermons. Her class influenced me more than any single course in my ministerial preparation.”
Upon resignation from CBC, China opened and they established the Assemblies of God Office in Hong Kong. Over the next 10 years, they developed Operation Sunrise, the international prayer program for China, and Sunrise Educational Foundation, the teacher placement program for Chinese universities.
In 1982 they returned to Texas where they were heavily involved at SAGU. Dr. Guynes served as the university’s president, and Mrs. Guynes taught full-time until her retirement in 1995. She played a vital role in re-establishing the university’s missions emphasis.
Mrs. Guynes is survived by her husband, Delmer Guynes; her 4 children: Beckie Smith and her husband David, Patricia Brooks and her husband Paul, Del Guynes and his wife Christi, and Janette Triplett and her husband Marc; her grandchildren: Kevin and his wife Miriam, Kent and his wife Michelle, Kimbra and her husband Nick, Krista, Bryan and his wife Susan, Clayton and his wife Andrea, Derek and his wife Lacy, Lindsay, Lauren, Devan, Joshua, Jessica, and Jennifer; and her great-grandchildren: Katie, Kaleb, Micah, Wes, Cory, Tia, Lexxi, Ethan, Ellie, Evan, Ava, Aaron, and Connor.
“Regardless of any worldly pressures of fear and concern, her commitment to fulfill the mission of God is a testimony to the very nature of Jesus Christ at work within her, and is an enduring testimony to me and my family,” says grandson Bryan Brooks.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that those wishing to honor Mrs. Guynes may do so with a tax deductible contribution to the:
Eleanor R. Guynes Scholarship Fund
Southwestern Assemblies of God University Foundation
1200 Sycamore Street
Waxahachie, Texas 75165
This fund was established at the Guynes 50th wedding anniversary in 1999 with a gift of $50,000. Dr. Guynes seeks to increase the fund to $100,000.
Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) is a private, Christian university located in Waxahachie, Texas. The university was established in 1927, and now offers more than 60 associate, bachelor’s or master’s degrees on campus or online. More information is available at www.sagu.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-SAGU.
Kind Words
“Thank you Lord for a faithful servant!”
Terrell Welch
“Heaven just received another hero of the faith.”
Anita Cook
“My deepest sympathy to the Guynes family. She was a great woman of God and leaves an outstanding legacy to family and students. SAGC graduate 1979!”
Pat Johnson
“The kindest and warmest person, she had such a passion for the Lord, and shared it with so many.”
Steven Vestal
“I am Eleanor’s cousin and my memories are many years ago when we were little girls. I last saw her at Nina Beth’s funeral. She was a beautiful saint. My sympathy & condolences to Dick & family.”
Marilyn Rabbitt
“Dear Brother Guynes — Arthur Lee informed us of Eleanor’s passing. We remember our fond memories of you both on our arrival in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia in 1963. You were dearly loved by all. We send our love and condolences to you.”
Donald and Ruby McMurray
“I remember learning so much from the powerful servant of God! Our mission trip to KL, Malaysia would not have been the same. My love goes out to Dr. Guynes and his family members.”
Alfonso Llamas
“I will always hold this fine lady in high esteem. Such a genuine person who made such a difference in the lives of many without bringing attention to herself.”
Reggie McElhannon
“The Eleanor I know…
– The Eleanor I know made the hottest/spiciest and most delicious curry I’ve ever had.
– The Eleanor I know loved to go on walks more than anyone I know.
– The Eleanor I know was an amazing, loving and caring Grandma.
– The Eleanor I know was definitely unique… a “one-and-only”.
– The Eleanor I knew & know, loves our Savior Jesus with all her heart, mind, body, and soul.
– The Eleanor I know lived her life devoted to HIM!
– The Eleanor I know is walking the streets of gold with those that we have known who have “gone on” before us…”
Joshua Triplett
“My earliest memories of my grandmother are of me and my cousins playing ‘Hide and Seek’ at her house. We would try and hide from her and then try to sneak up on her and scare her. Then we would go and sit on her glider swing in her back yard and she would come and sit with us and laugh with us about the day and the silly things that we had done. I remember that she thought that I was too loud and she got my mom to have my hearing checked. She was sure that I was ‘loud’ because of hearing problems, but it was just me and she got used to ‘me.’”
Jennifer Triplett
“I have so many amazing memories of my grandmother that it’s hard to choose which one to tell! The Eleanor I knew always had Blue Bell ice-cream waiting for me when I would arrive at her house. Then, when in college I would enjoy stopping by her house to eat lunch, eat Blue Bell ice cream and do her nails. My grandmother was loved by all who knew her. I thank God for giving me a grandmother who loved, searched and found God on a daily basis. Just the thought of her dancing and fishing in heaven will keep me smiling till the day I get to see her again. I love you Grandma.”
Jessica Triplett
“The Eleanor I knew…
The Eleanor that I knew wasn’t always my Mother-in-law! She was my Missions teacher while I attended Central Bible College. She was my Christian Education teacher also! She imparted her love for missions to me and the other members of those classes at Central Bible College!
The Eleanor that I knew cooked the first (Malaysian) Indian Curry that I ever ate. My nose and eyes ran from the spicy hot that it was! I didn’t really like it the first time I ate it, but now I love it and look forward to eating it when one of the Guynes girls make it.
The Eleanor that I knew used to go fishing with us on a regular basis. The only thing that I didn’t like about those fishing trips was that she usually out fished me! She would call me and ask if I was going to go fishing anytime soon and then would always be ready to go with us. Many times we would go over to Fellows Lake in Springfield and would catch a ‘mess’ of Crappie! She would giggle like a little girl every time she caught another fish!
The Eleanor that I knew loved her life, her husband, her children, her grandchildren, her friends, her students, missions, teaching, church, challenges, adventures, fishing, cantatas (especially her son Del Ray’s cantatas), sports, cooking, and life in general!
The Eleanor that I knew left for China with her husband D.R. Guynes, just months after I married their youngest daughter, Janette. They “forced” us to work on our marriage with my in-laws about as far away as one could ever imagine… yet as close as a phone call!
The Eleanor that I knew loved to sit and swing on their glider porch swing that was in her back yard in Waxahachie, Texas. She would sing, worship, meditate and just ‘be still’ before the Lord while sitting on that swing. Today, that very swing is in my back yard, and Janette, my wife, her youngest daughter sits in that swing with me as we too sing, worship, meditate, and talk of those times of years gone by when we used to sit in that very swing in her parents back yard! Our children, Joshua, Jessica and Jennifer will also go out and sit in that swing and relive the wonderful memories that we have of ‘grandma Guynes.’
The Eleanor that I knew seemed to always have a little twinkle in her eyes and a ‘little girl’ giggle coming out of her when she was excited or happy!
The Eleanor that I know still has a twinkle in her eyes and a special giggle as she is in Heaven cheering us on ‘towards the prize, the high calling of God.”
Marcus Triplett
“Mama Guynes, Thank you for answering the call to China…because you were obedient and unwavering, Dr. Guynes too received a call to China. Because you were determined and unrelenting, though China was closed, you found a Chinese population in Malaysia.
Because you and Dr. Guynes gave your lives for His work, my mom and dad’s idolatrous lives were forever changed. Because you planted the seed, others watered, the Lord brought the increase and altered the destiny of my parents, their children and their children’s children. Because you cared, I was never homesick when you brought me homemade “char siew pau” and your “awesome sauce” curry to the dorms in SAGU. Because it was too far for my parents to travel, you presented me with my diploma at my graduation. Thank you for loving a people not your own, for pouring out your life as a fragrant offering to Malaysia. It has lingered through the soil of our hearts and left its mark on the fabric of my culture, people and nation. I will miss you dearly.”
Kevin Lee
“Eleanor Guynes was my “Aunt El”. My very first memory of Christmas at the age of about five was helping to carry the sheets she took from their house in Caldwell that were used for angel costumes for the Christmas play. She always was involved, always fun to be around, always had that wonderful giggle that we all new so well, and could sew or read or cook with small children in her arms, crawling on her back, or hanging around her neck! When she and Uncle Dick were on furlough from Malaysia, they would usually stay with us for awhile during that year. I have such sweet, sweet memories of our families being together during those times. And she did make the hottest chicken curry that our family all came to love! She was dear to us, and we will all miss her! But we will see her again at that GREAt REUNION…..come quickly Lord Jesus!!”
Mitzi Witt
“You will be greatly missed. I remember sitting with you in chapel one day. You brought your trusted new testament with you, but the minister started preaching from the old testament. I shared my Bible with you. It was a simple thing but I will never forget sharing my Bible with such an amazing woman of God.”
Tamara Collins Burson
“From the first day I stepped on the campus of SAGU AIC in 2001, Dr. and Mrs. Guynes welcomed me like no other. Two of the most friendly faces in the crowd. Mrs. Guynes told me that “I was going to really like being here”…..man was she right! A very sweet,genuine, and gentle spirit. She will be missed tremendously. May God give Dr. Guynes and family peace and comfort knowing that she is now standing with Him. Many blessings upon them.”
Scott Regan
“I’m so sorry to hear about Mrs.vGuynes. She was such a sweet and Christ-like lady. She is with Jesus and she has touched so many people. My prayers and thoughts are with the Guynes family. God Bless”
Glen Thornton