Jan. 15, 1918 –

Feb. 14, 2013

Funeral services for Mary J. Nelson-Guyton, 95, of Bainbridge, were held Feb. 18, 2013, at Nelson Chapel A.M.E. Church in Bainbridge, with the Rev. John Thomas officiating.

Burial was in Pineview Cemetery with Herbert Bell, George Freeman, Cornell Hamilton, Jimmy Mitchell, T. Jan Perry, Hubert Thomas and Michael Stanton acting as pallbearers.

Mrs. Guyton was born Jan. 15, 1918, in Recovery. She graduated from Hutto High School in 1938.

In 1940, she married Herbert Nelson and they had one son, Donald. Following the death of her husband, she married Joseph Guyton in 1969.

While employed as director of the lunchroom services at Hutto Elementary and High School, she continued to study and earn a bachelor’s degree in education from Albany State College. She went on to receive a master’s degree from Florida A&M University. She taught elementary education at Hutto Elementary School and Jones-Wheat Elementary School, prior to her retirement in 1986.

She was a member of Nelson Chapel A.M.E. Church, where she served on various committees and was a member of the Celestial Chorus. She was also a member of Club Allegro and an emeritus member of the Bainbridge-Decatur County Retired Educators Association.

Both husbands preceded her in death.

Survivors include a son Don Nelson and wife Von, of Bainbridge; sister, Darnella Davis of Largo, Fla.; brother, Major Jackson of Philadelphia, Pa.; granddaughters, Yvette Young (Pernell) of Hughsville, Md., Amanita Barthel (Kenneth) of Atlanta, Ga.; great-granddaughters, Imani Christopher, Bainbridge, Taliyah Brown, Sierra and Autum Barthel, of Atlanta; a step-daughter, Joyce Speer; a grand step-daughter, Sharri Speer; two sisters-in-law, Eunice Jackson, Berkley, Calif. and Shirley Jackson, Chattanooga, Tenn.; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Bruton Mortuary was in charge of the arrangements.