Fannie Mildred (Pike) Guion, of Swanzey, NH died on Tuesday, April 6, 2021 after a long and full life. She was born in Bridgeport, CT on December 15, 1925. She graduated from Harding High School in Bridgeport in 1942 and received a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Wellesley College in 1946. After receiving her degree, she worked at Handy & Harmon, a precious metals refining company in Bridgeport. She was an active member of her church and often taught Bible classes. She had a beautiful soprano voice and sang in a community chorus. It was there she caught the notice of Cedric Guion, of neighboring Trumbull, whom she married on New Year’s 1957. From that point on, they were lifetime soulmates.
Seeking respite from the congestion and pace of southern Connecticut, the young couple relocated to NH in 1960 and in 1961 moved into the house in Swanzey which Fannie would call home for the next 60 years. Fannie spent the next several years raising her four children and helping Ced run their general rent-all business. She was a Cub Scout den mother, Bible school teacher, taxi driver for her kids, storehouse of ancient poetry, term paper typist and general polymath. She was instrumental in starting the Swanzey chapter of the Visiting Nurse Association and throughout her life had a heart for service to her fellow travelers.
She loved to garden, and she could often be found hiking through the woods, picking partridge berries, harvesting wild strawberries and stalking the wild asparagus. She inspired her tribe to concoct and bottle homemade root beer, birch beer and various beverages of the dandelion and elderberry varieties.
She will be fondly remembered for her keen wit, breadth of knowledge and deep insight. Despite everyone’s suspicion that she was the smartest person in the room, she was never arrogant or condescending. She was unfailingly kind and, as one great niece recently noted, she always listened.
She was predeceased by her husband Ced, and her brother, Arthur L. Pike. She is survived by her children- Arthur C. Guion and his wife Bethany of Fitzwilliam, NH, Neil P. Guion and his wife, Etta Madden of Springfield, MO, Gary P. Guion and his wife Paula of Monroe, NH, and Andrea P. Goodpasture and her husband, Doug of Springdale, AR. She also leaves behind ten grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
The family requests that flowers not be sent at this time. Instead, please make a donation in Fannie’s name to any or both of the following charities: Gander Brook Christian Camp (www.ganderbrook.org/donate) or Body and Soul Ministries (https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/1395924).
An outdoor memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 11:00 am at the Keene Church of Christ, 12 Arch Street, Keene, NH.
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