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news
Guyness remembered
for joyous, warm spirit
By Jeanne Hoffa
Summer On-line Forty-Niner
When Connie Guyness
waltzed into a room, everybody took notice. The operations
specialist who worked for Cal State Long Beach for the past
17 years kept her co-workers in stitches with a constant litany
of jokes and teasing, and the infectious boom of her own laughter.
That sound of her
laughter and her relentless optimism may be her legacy as
the close-knit staff of Information Technology Services grapples
with the shock of her death from a heart attack July 17 at
the age of 53.
Guyness faced tragedy
with courage when her husband Aurthur died of a massive stroke
in1990 when he was in his early '40s, leaving her alone with
three young boys. To make it on her own, she decided to take
classes at Cal State Long Beach while she worked. She received
many advanced certificates, mastered programming and was promoted
within the department.
No sacrifice was
too big for her sons. When middle son Stanley reached the
eighth grade and showed he could tear up the football field,
she rented out her home in Cerritos and moved to Los Alamitos
because the district had a successful football program. She
thought his talent would get him a college education. She
was right. Stanley earned a full scholarship to USC. He just
graduated from USC with a degree in public policy and management.
Guyness reached
out to the community through her church, the Bible Believers
Missionary Baptist Church of Cerritos. She served on the Adult
Usher Board. She was always conscious of those in need, and
could be found bundling up clothes for the needy or lending
a helping hand.
Her good friend
Irma Macias, who works in University Outreach, remembers her
fighting spirit.
"She was a
loyal, special friend. She made you laugh a lot...no constantly.
When I think of her, I think of a person who fought for her
rights. If she wasn't ready for a promotion, she'd do everything
to get ready for it."
Production control
co-worker Joan Millwee said the funeral for Guyness at Forest
Lawn was packed.
"She knew
everybody. She made friends with everybody. She liked to tease
everybody. She was a happy-go-lucky person. Really outgoing.
And a very reliable worker. She always had her work done ahead
of time. Very conscientious "
Guyness' sister
Jewell Craig is one of six surviving siblings in a family
that started out with 16 children. She is visiting from her
home in Tennessee to help her nephews.
"One thing
I can say about my sister, is Connie didn't meet no strangers.
She's the only one to never get a woopin. I never heard her
raise her voice. When God picked that angel, they sure enough
picked them a good one." Craig said.
Guyness is survived
by her three sons, Mjomo, 28, Stanley, 23, and Austin, 20.
She also leaves
behind sisters Jewell Craig, Ruby Young and Winifred Bray,
and brothers Fletcher Armour, James Armour and Jerome Armour.
Joan Millwee is
collecting money for the three Guyness sons. Inquiries can
be made at Information Technology Services, (562)985-5459.
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