Joanne Guild died September 29, 2017 at Merrill Gardens in Renton, Washington. She spent the last 10 months of her life standing up to cancer. She was born Joanne Nora Schott on August 11, 1929 at Yankton, South Dakota, the daughter of Wava Alice Wood and Carlos Schott.
Her father owned a grocery store in Yankton, but when the Depression hit, the family moved back to their hometown of Hot Springs where she attended school through her junior year in high school. The family then moved to Topeka when her father was transferred with the Veterans Administration Hospital. Joanne graduated from Topeka High School in 1947 and then attended Washburn University where she was a cheerleader and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education in 1952.While at Washburn, she was a member of the Delta Gamma Sorority and Nonoso Women’s Honor Society.
She married Frederick Guild on March 23, 1952 in Topeka. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary last March.
Mrs. Guild taught for Topeka Public School USD 501 for more than 30 years, all at the same school, McCarter Elementary School. When she began teaching, paved roads ended at Fairlawn Road and she traveled gravel roads from there to the school. She cared for all her students throughout the years and is remembered for the snowball fights she had with the kids on the playground. Mrs. Guild was the teacher who would take extra time for the child who was struggling.
She was active in the Delta Kappa Gamma teacher’s sorority. She also earned a master’s degree in education from Washburn University in 1971.
She attended church at Lake Washington United Methodist Church while living in Washington, and prior to that, was a member of First United Methodist Church in Topeka.
She was very proud of the fact that she got a hug from President Barrack Obama during a 2008 campaign event in Seattle. She loved watching KU basketball, Royals and Mariners baseball, and Seahawks football. She could keep up with any conversation that involved sports.
Survivors include her husband, Fred, of Renton; daughters Jennifer, Nanette and Lisa Guild of Renton; and Leslie Guild Kelly of Bainbridge Island, Washington; and six grandchildren. She loved playing softball with the grandkids and being the helper on the grandkid’s school trips.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Carlos and Wava, and her only sibling, her sister, Phyllis Marie Blood.
Mrs. Guild was cremated and will be interred in the Guild family plot in Topeka Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made to the Crazy Horse Memorial near her home in the Black Hills of South Dakota, 12151 Avenue of the Chiefs, Crazy Horse, South Dakota 57730 or the St. Joseph’s Indian School, P.O. Box 300, 1301 N. Main Street Chamberlain, SD 57325.
Barton Funeral Home in Renton, Washington is in charge of the arrangements.
