It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Mrs. Gwendolyn Eugenia Thompson Conyers, wife of Luther H. Conyers, Jr.  Gwen attended elementary school in Waycross.GA and graduated valedictorian of her class from Carver High School, Douglas, GA. 

Gwendolyn enrolled at Georgia State Industrial College (GSIC), (now Savannah State University) in 1944. She graduated in 1948, having earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Education. Her educational preparation also included a Master of Science Degree in Business Education from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana in 1956, where she was inducted to the Delta Pi Epsilon Honor Society. She earned an Education Specialist Degree from the University of Georgia, 1976. 

Gwen met the love of her life, Luther H. Conyers, Jr. and they were married on December 25, 1948 (over sixty-nine years). To this union our brother, Eugene and we, Audrey and Luthenya were born.

Gwendolyn has worked as Secretary to the Registrar, Georgia State Industrial College, Secretary, Office of the Registrar, Florida A. and M. University and at Fort Valley State University.  She spent 40- plus years in education beginning in 1950.  She was a Business Education Teacher at Mt. Moriah High School, Hutto High School, and Bainbridge High School.  She was also a part-time instructor at Bainbridge College.  She retired in 1992, but continued to work for the Decatur County School System, Department of Adult Education, as a GED Examiner. 

As a member of the local SSU National Alumni Association, she helped to provide local scholarships for students in Bainbridge whose desire was to attend Savannah State.  She and Luther are co-sponsors of the $485.000.00 Conyers-Kirbo endowed Scholarship Fund for SSU which began in 2008 with a $100,000.00 gift to them from the Kirbo Foundation in honor of their 60th class reunion celebration. 

Gwendolyn gave service to her community in various capacities, including Charter Member of Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Club Allegro, the NAACP and the Bainbridge-Decatur County Retired Educators Association. She served various roles in each organization, including, but not limited to president, treasurer and secretary. She is the recipient of many awards including Outstanding Citizen Award, presented by the Decatur County Civic and Progressive League, Outstanding Community Activism and Service to Mankind Award, by Lambda Xi Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Nominated Woman of the Year by the Pilot Club of Bainbridge and Inducted into the Teacher Hall of Fame, Georgia Education Association; SSU Hall of Fame, and she received numerous recognitions and honors from former students. She was editor and contributor to the Post Searchlight, the local newspaper, for several years.

Gwendolyn was a member of the Mount Pleasant Freewill Baptist Church.

Gwendolyn leaves a devoted Husband, Luther H. Conyers, Jr. two daughters, Audrey C. Rhodes, (Gene – deceased), Memphis. Tennessee and Luthenya Conyers Wright (Herman) Suwanee, GA; two grandchildren, Leslie Michelle Milline, (John), Charlotte, NC and Eric Michael  Wright, Suwanee, GA.

She is preceded in death by her son Eugene.