Joan Phyllis McGuire

Joan Phyllis McGuire, age 97, of Tallahassee, Florida passed away at home on June 24. Joan was born in Paris, Illinois and lived in a series of small Midwestern towns growing up. Her father, Paul Gardner, was a school principal and coach and her mother, Florence Himes Gardner, was a Latin and history teacher. Joan’s younger sister, Gwen Gardner Harper, preceded her in death.

Joan attended the University of Illinois, where she met her future husband, Bernard McGuire Jr. She graduated from nursing training at Washington University in St. Louis. Joan and Bernie moved to Chicago, where their daughter Kathy was born, and then to Peoria, Illinois, where daughters, Karol and Karen, were born. Joan and Bernie built a house and enjoyed their children and life in Peoria, particularly summer visits from Bernie’s sister, Shirley Deifel, and her family.

The family later moved to Gaithersburg, Maryland, where Joan and Bernie divorced. Joan returned to nursing and met Tony Nilo at a dance class. They spent the next 20 years together, until Tony’s passing, working, traveling, dancing, and reading. They especially enjoyed spending Christmas with Joan’s sister Gwen’s children and grandchildren. Joan’s youngest daughter, Karen, passed away from cancer in 2005.

Joan moved to Tallahassee in 2006, where she made many friends at Sue Carpenter’s Pilates class and at the Senior Center, where she loved being the “Countess” in Pomeroy’s excellent exercise class and being part of the Senior Singers.

Joan is survived by her daughters, Karol McGuire of Montgomery Village, Maryland, and Kathy McGuire (Steve Been) of Tallahassee.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Los Robles Woman’s Club on Monday, July 14 at 4pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Second Harvest of the Big Bend online at fightinghunger.org/donate-today/ or mail a check to "Second Harvest of the Big Bend,” 4446 Entrepot Boulevard, Tallahassee, FL 32310.