NORWICH – Vernon E. Guinn, 77, life long Norwich resident and well known area contractor, passed away Sunday morning, March 6, 2011, in the Chenango Memorial Hospital.
Vern was born in Norwich in May of 1933 and was the son of Ralph and Jessie Keplinger Guinn. He grew up in Norwich where he attended the Norwich schools and was a 1951 graduate of the Norwich High School. In March of 1953, Vern entered the United States Army where he served his country in Korea and Hawaii and was honorably discharged in March of 1955. Returning home he gained employment with the Norwich Pharmacal Co. where he worked for a period of five years. In 1960 he began his own contracting business, Vernon E. Guinn Contracting, and soon became a well known and respected contractor. Over the years Vern was responsible for many construction projects throughout the area. Even though he officially retired in the late 1990s, he still remained active in the business until his health declined.
Vern’s family and home always came first. His sense of humor and keen wit always kept people on their toes and he could never sit idle. He could often be found building one of his many bird houses. One of his most memorable times was when he had 60 donkeys shipped from Death Valley in a project known as “Save The Donkeys.” To this day Vern still had two of the donkeys at home which he cared for on a daily basis. He was a member of the Norwich Elk’s Club, B.P.O.E. #1222 where he enjoyed many pitch games over the years.
On Aug. 18, 1990, in Norwich, he married Virginia Frink. Besides his wife Ginny, Vern is survived by his daughter Katrina Guinn of Gilbertsville, his sisters Anna Mae Quincy and Donna Guinn both of Norwich, his brothers James Guinn and his wife Linda of Norwich and Roy Guinn and his wife Phyllis of Cincinnatus, his grandchildren Eric Guinn of Wagram, N.C., Kim Dixon of Philadelphia, Pa., Stacey Flanagan of Colorado Springs, and Jason and Courtney Flanagan of Oxford, two great grandchildren Haven and Manna Guinn. Vern is also survived by his two sister-in-laws Charlotte Guinn of Norwich and Shirley Guinn of Florida as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Besides his parents Ralph and Jessie, Vern was predeceased by his sister Bessie Brown and his brothers Robert Carl and William Guinn.
Funeral services for Vern will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday from the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home. The Rev. David Spiegel Sr., pastor of the First Baptist Church of Norwich, will officiate. Interment with full military rites will be held at a later date from the Mt. Hope Cemetery.
Friends may call at the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home on Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
In lieu of flowers please consider memorial contributions to the Norwich Fire Dept., EMS Program, c/o Chief Chawgo, 31 East Main St., Norwich, NY 13815 or to the Norwich Food Closet, c/o Emmanuel Episcopal Church, West Main St., Norwich, NY 13815 with checks made payable to the Norwich Food Closet.
Ginny would like to extend a special “Thank You” to Vern’s sister Anna Mae for the care and support given to them over the past few years.