Guindoline Neely Walters

Guindoline Neely Walters 

On August 11,1932 George Neely wrote in his diary, “a baby girl was born to Guinn (Neely) and Euline (Beasley Neely) early this morning” This was Guindoline Neely. She was born in Dykersburg, Illinois. She attended Black school at the age of four. When she was in middle school, she and her family moved to Marion, Illinois where she continued until she finished High School. After graduating, she started college at Southern Illinois University where she earned her Elementary Education Degree. While she attended SIU, she enjoyed serving on the University’s Social Senate, a hospitality committee, and winning the title of “Watermelon Queen.” She was also a member of the Homecoming Queen’s court in 1951. She also had an air force B-26 plane named “Lady Guindoline” in her honor.

She met her husband, Archie Walters, at Old Main, and started dating after meeting again at a dance. They were married on March 14, 1953. They moved near Roxanna, Illinois where she taught fifth grade and held after-school activities of basketball and baseball. In 1957 she gave birth to son, Tom, and stopped teaching and started caring for Tom. At that point she once stated that she wanted 13 kids. In 1961 she gave birth to a daughter, Sherri (Jepsen). 

In 1965 they moved to Villa Park and the next year they bought a house in Woodridge, Illinois and lived there until 2022. She substituted in the Woodridge School System K-5. She was a favorite to faculty, students, and administrators. If she was teaching in a class for a week, she gave the students the surprise bag a choice to pick a penny candy out of the bag.

When she retired, she enjoyed traveling around the country with Archie. She fell in January 2022, one year after her love, Archie passed away. Where she moved back home to Marion and lived at Sunshine Garden, where she shared her life and wisdom with the residents and staff, who lovingly called her their mascot. She shared stories about her youth in Dykersburg about Jack and Jill the young squirrels, Grandpa and Grandma Neely, Sid the dog, and how she could not climb down from a tree and her brother, Zane, would have to get her down. She enjoyed sewing, gardening, mowing, and embroidery. 

She was loved and cherished by many people including: her spouse Archie Walters; her children, Thomas Walters (Nancy Rea) and Sherri Jepsen (Steven); his grandchildren, Sean Jepsen, Stacy Maddox (Jason), Michael Jepsen (Sonya), Jessica Walters and Sarah Jepsen; and his great grandchildren, Leila, Bryanna, Eli, Archie, Sydney, Journee and Hazel. In leu of flowers, please send a donation to the American Cancer Association or The American Humane Society in their name.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Blue Funeral Home under the direction of Binkley-Ross.  Visitation will be held on Friday, March 7, 2025, from 10:00 AM- 12:00 PM at Blue Funeral Home located at 1704 North Court Street, Marion, Illinois.  A double memorial service will begin at 12:00 pm. Double Inurnment will follow in Rosehill Cemetery with full military funeral honors. The family will gather after the ceremony for a lunch reception at Binkley-Ross located at 1702 West Boulevard Street in Marion around 1:30 PM.  Please visit www.bluefuneralhome.com to leave your online condolences.