Guider, Ed, Jr.

Marine During Korean War Later Operated Guider Motor Company

  • Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Ed Guider
Ed Guider

Ed Guider, Jr., 87, of Rossville, Georgia, died on June 20, 2016, to join his loved ones. Surrounded by his loving family, he peacefully drifted to sleep. 

Ed was born April 18, 1929 to Ed Guider Sr and Bessie Helen Guider to a family of five brothers.  During his school years at Hixson High he starred in basketball and baseball. It was during those years that a petite cheerleader, Alma Roberson, three years younger than him caught his eye and stole his heart. After they met it was love at first sight and they were never apart. Around 1948 Ed bought a 1912 T Model that he was so proud of. This is where his love of cars began. He and Alma dated all through high school and married as soon as she graduated in 1950. It was a lifelong loving marriage of 65 years. Their devotion to each other was so special and served as a model for all of us.

In 1951 he entered the Marines during the Korean War. After he was discharged they moved back to the Chattanooga area and soon started a family. If ever there was a family man, it was Ed Guider. He and Alma never missed any event for their daughters while in school traveling to support the athletic teams, band and music contests and even chaperoning proms and field trips. They were a welcome and loved fixture at school outings.

Ed never met a stranger or lost his sense of humor and mischievous ways. He loved to play practical jokes and to tell stories. He loved to laugh and to make people laugh. He was a friend to everyone he knew.

In the 1950s Ed bought and owned Guider Motor Company for about 25 years. Because of his success in the used car business many tried to recruit him to start his own dealership. But he was content to continue his small but thriving business. It wasn’t until Newton Chevrolet owner Hobby Law convinced him to become not only the used car manager but also the buyer for the Newton Chevrolet brand. Ed grew the business there and garnered many awards. Through his success with Chevrolet, Ed and Alma traveled a lot visiting Switzerland, England, cruises to exotic islands, and San Francisco trips.  After many successful years in the automobile industry Ed retired in 2001. And to think that his career started with his purchase of a T Model on a handshake deal in 1948.

Ed was a passionate sports fan. He played on many softball and bowling teams throughout his adult years. It was a family affair as Alma and his daughters traveled with them for his softball tournaments and their bowling tournaments. He was an avid golfer and loved playing weekly golf with his friends. He loved the University of Tennessee Vols and his passion for Vol football and basketball spread throughout his family. Cheering on the Vols in the fall was a family affair that was shared with his wife Alma, his daughters Terri and Judy and their grandchildren.

However he would tell everyone that his biggest accomplishment was his love of his wife and family. He loved his wife, Alma, more than life itself. He was so proud of both of his daughters and his five grandchildren. In the last year of his life they were blessed with three great grandchildren. The love all of his family has for him is his legacy and will be with us forever.

Ed was preceded in death by his parents, Ed Guider, Sr. and Bessie Helen Guider and two brothers Ralph Guider and J.E. Guider.

He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years Alma Roberson Guider; two daughters, Terri Guider Wilkes (Eddie) and Judy Guider Roden (David); grandchildren, Charles Garland Smith Jr. (Dana); Parker Guider Smith (Erica); Natalie Grayson Smith; Kathryn (Katie) Lynn Roden (Aaron); and Andrew David Roden (Jessica); gre-grandchildren, Ayva Jane Santana; Charles Garland Smith III (Trey) and Jackson Guider Smith; brothers, Jim Guider (Ann) and Don Guider (Alice); and lifelong family friends, Erma Bird and Helen Shavers.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, at Heritage Funeral Home at 3239 Battlefield Parkway, Fort Oglethorpe, with Kevin Becker officiating. Interment will follow at Jackson Chapel Cemetery in Chester Frost Park.

Pallbearers are Johnny Spangler, Leon Babb, Mike Wright, Clayton Brannan, Bill Newberry and Walt Melton. Honorary pallbearers are William Mathews, Bill Johnson, Gary Cross and Ron Delaney.

A special thank you to our son-in-law David Roden for the loyalty, compassion and care he has always given us but especially during all the years of Ed’s health decline. He went way over the call of duty and we could never make it without him. Thank you to son-in-law Eddie Wilkes for playing Ed’s favorite songs for him, singing to him and making him smile.  A special thank you to Avalon Hospice Kerry Brown, Lynn Mayer, April Barroso, Kevin Becker, Rhonda Adkins, Abazid Q and Debbie Beachboard. LifeCare of Hixson employees Deandra, Dana, Connie and Ava. Thank you to Cindy and Nicole for being here when we needed them. And a special thank you to Kim Dyer for her love and support.

Visit http://www.heritagebattlefield.com/ to share words of encouragement for the family.

Memorial contributions may be made to Avalon Hospice and Burke’s United Methodist Church.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, from 4–8 p.m. and Friday, one hour prior to the service. Arrangements are by Heritage Funeral Home and Crematory, Battlefield Parkway.

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