Wes Guckert

John Weston “Wes” Guckert, 77, passed away on December 30, 2025, at St. Joseph Hospital in Towson, Maryland. Born in Baltimore, Wes lived a life defined by service, leadership, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to improving the world around him.

Wes is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Antoinette “Toni” (Rallo) Guckert; his children, Renee Guckert Carter (Wayne) and Anthony Rallo Guckert (Jennifer and her children, Joseph and Jacob); as well as his five grandchildren, Alicya, Taylor, Reese, Alex, and Jillian. He is also survived by his brothers, Thomas Guckert (Marilyn) and Richard Guckert (Michele), as well as his nephew and nieces, Jeffrey Guckert (Edna), Allison Guckert, Nicole Guckert, Katherine Joynes (Byron) and their children, Hendrix and Nova. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Ruth (Hayward) Guckert, Toni’s parents, John and Rosalie (Alcarese) Rallo, his brother-in-law, Louis Rallo and by his beloved grandson, AJ, whose memory he carried in his heart always.

Wes proudly served his country as a member of the United States Air Force and was a Vietnam Veteran. His military service shaped his character, values, and lifelong dedication to supporting fellow service members and veterans.

A proud lifelong learner, Wes earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the State of New York. He completed advanced traffic engineering coursework at the Northwestern University Traffic Institute, the University of Tennessee Transportation Center, and the University of Maryland.

Wes’ professional career spanned more than five decades and was nothing short of extraordinary. A globally respected traffic and transportation planner, he founded The Traffic Group over 40 years ago. Under his leadership, the firm, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), contributed to nearly 10,000 projects worldwide over more than 50 years. Within his industry, Wes was a true leader, widely admired for both his expertise and integrity.

A disabled Vietnam veteran, Wes deeply understood the challenges faced by service members returning home and rebuilding their lives. Supporting veterans was not a cause for him—it was a calling. He was one of six recipients to receive a Governor’s Citation at the 2024 Veteran-Owned Small Business Enterprise (VSBE) Appreciation Breakfast, hosted by Maryland’s Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs (GOSBA), and he was also awarded the Veterans in Business Patriot Warrior Award from the VETCON Alliance. In 2019 and 2021, he was recognized as an Influential Marylander and in 2025, he was named one of The Daily Record’s ICON Honor recipients, recognizing lifetime achievement and lasting impact.

Wes was a founding member of the Queen Anne’s County Veteran and Military Support Alliance (VAMSA) and supported numerous veteran-focused organizations locally and nationally, including the Gary Sinise Foundation, Homes for Our Troops, Folds of Honor, Catch A Lift Fund, and the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

His philanthropic reach extended well beyond veterans’ causes. Since 2006, Wes was deeply involved with the Carson Scholars Fund, founded by Dr. Ben Carson, serving in numerous leadership roles including Board Chair. In 2019, he received the Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation’s Stewart J. Greenebaum Founders Award, honoring individuals whose lives exemplify exceptional generosity and commitment to children and families in need. In 2023, Wes established the Guckert Family Foundation, naming his five grandchildren as trustees—an enduring reflection of his belief in legacy, responsibility, and “paying it forward.”

Above all else, Wes will be remembered as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, mentor, veteran, and friend. Whether the need was great or small, Wes always showed up. His life was defined not only by professional excellence, but by kindness, service, and a deep belief in helping others succeed.

Wes’ legacy lives on in the countless lives he touched, the institutions he strengthened, and the family he loved so deeply.

Visitations will take place at Lemmon Funeral Home, 10 West Padonia Road, Timonium, Maryland on Thursday, January 8 and Friday, January 9 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

A funeral will be held at Our Lady of Grace, located at 18310 Middletown Road, Parkton, Maryland at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 10. Interment with military honors will take place immediately after at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens and a Celebration of Life at Maryland Golf & Country Club, 1335 East Macphail Road, Bel Air, Maryland.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to one of the following charities: Catch A Lift Fund www.catchaliftfund.org; Folds of Honor www.foldsofhonor.org; Love in the Trenches www.loveinthetrenches.org; Believe in Tomorrow Children's Foundation www.believeintomorrow.org; or Empower4Life www.empower4lifemd.org.