Paul "Lito" Guimary

Born in Claver, Surigao del Norte, Philippines on June 3, 1953 to Uldarico Sulapas Guimary and Romualda Allocod, Lito graduated from Cantilan High School in 1970. Following high school, he earned a Bible diploma from Central Bible Training Institute in Cebu in 1974 and then a B.A. in Political Science at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City, Philippines in 1985. Years later, he moved his family to Bannockburn, Illinois where he attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and earned a Master of Divinity Degree in 1991. He was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Grace Theological Seminary in 2021.

In 1977, while he was the pastor of Mabolo EFC in the Philippines, Lito met the love of his life, Annette Carey, and the two were married in Cebu City, Philippines on October 22, 1978. Lito went on to pastor two more churches during his pastoral career: Crossroads Fellowship in Manila, Philippines; and Christ Our Saviour Church in Chicago, Illinois. Throughout their forty-three years on the mission field in the Philippines and in Chicago, Lito and Annette served together in church planting, hospitality, and pastoral work.

Lito was passionate about many things. He loved Jesus. He loved sharing the Gospel with others because he knew what an amazing difference Christ had made in his life. As a result, many people were brought to saving faith through him. He loved God's Word. He read the entire Bible multiple times each year. And he knew it so well. He was a walking concordance.

He loved his wife, Annette, so faithfully. He loved to tell others about how happy he was to have Annette for his wife! He loved his children and their families and was proud to be “Lolo” to 23 grandchildren. He sang “Constantly Abiding” to them while he rocked them to sleep.

He loved his siblings and other relatives who are mostly back home in the Philippines. His hometown Cantilan always remained in his heart. Even until recently, his dreams were often about being there.

He was passionate about playing games, staying active, discussing politics, cheering for Chicago sports teams, gardening, and pursuing a healthy lifestyle. He was the kind of person whom people were drawn to because of his warmth and friendliness.

Lito was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Richel Truelove, and his sister-in-law Nancy Guimary. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Annette; his brother Roul Guimary of Cavite, Philippines; his sister Naomi (Jaime) of Surigao del Sur, Philippines; his sister Ruth (Almer) Burga of Surigao del Sur, Philippines; his brother-in-law Norm Truelove; his daughter Lianne (Bill) Smith of Melbourne, FL and their children: Jaelle, Kaedyn, Jake, Maggie, Noah, Miriam, Naomi, Toby, and Thomas Paul; his daughter Michelle (Tony) Nord of Cameron, WI and their children: Laraya, Javen, Layla, and Jada; his daughter Nerissa (Alex) Unis of Freeport, IL and their children: Ezra, Miles, Micaiah Lito, Torin, Quinn, and Narra; his son Daric (Sasha) Guimary of Melbourne, FL and their children: Melanne, DZ, Neliah and baby boy due on October 26; and many cousins as well as numerous nieces and nephews in the Philippines and the United States.

A celebration of life service will be held at Faith Baptist Church of Palm Bay, FL at 4pm on Thursday, October 22, with Pastor Alex Unis and Pastor Tony Nord officiating. Visitation will be at the church at 3pm. Additional celebration of life services will be held on later dates at Christ Our Saviour Church in Chicago, IL and in several cities in the Philippines.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to a fund that provides retirement assistance to retired Filipino pastors with the Evangelical Free Church of the Philippines. Make the check payable to “The Signatry” with “The Carey - EFCP 1” in the memo line. Checks can be mailed to: The Signatry, Attn: Donor Care, 7171 W. 95th St., Suite 501, Overland Park, KS 66212. All funds received by The Signatry for the EFCP Pastor’s Retirement fund are tax-deductible, as The Signatry is a 501(c)(3) public charity.

Lito’s visitation will be held at Faith Baptist Church of Palm Bay, 341 Emerson Dr NW, Palm Bay, FL, on October 22, 2026, beginning at 3:00 pm.