John William Guy

Col. John William Guy
(March 20, 1933 - Dec. 1 2008)

Colonel John William Guy, United States Marine Corps, Ret., died
Monday, Dec. 1 at Powell Valley Healthcare after a long and
courageous battle with throat cancer. He was 75.
He was born March 20, 1933, in Rock Springs to Holdridge Princeton
Guy and Ruth Evelyn (Foy) Guy. John was raised in Cheyenne and
graduated from Cheyenne High School in 1951. He entered the
University of Wyoming in 1951, but then enlisted in the U.S. Marine
Corps during the Korean conflict and was stationed in Japan. John returned to the University of Wyoming where he belonged to SAE
fraternity. He earned a B.S. degree in Petroleum Geology in 1959. He
married Darlene Malisch in Ft. Collins, Colo., on July 6, 1957. In 1962, he returned to the Marine Corps and made it his career,
retiring as a full Colonel in 1990. John did three tours during the
Vietnam War and received numerous medals, including the Silver Star,
the Bronze Star with Combat "V" and the Purple Heart. He also earned
a master's degree in Asian History from the University of San Diego. In 1995, John and Darlene moved to Powell, where he was active in the
Powell Rotary Club and the University of Wyoming Alumni Association,
of which he was a former president. John received the UW College of
Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007 and the UW
Distinguished Alumni Award in 2008.
John loved to fish in mountain streams. He was an avid reader and
enjoyed hiking and time spent at the family cabin in the Medicine Bow
Mountains of southeast Wyoming.
Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Darlene, in Powell; his
children, Tammy Harshbarger (Bill) of Tokyo, Japan, Shelly Neilson
(Chuck) of Raleigh, N.C., and John Jr. (Angela) of Tehachapi, Calif.;
his grandchildren, Melanie Carr (Ryan) of Troy, Mo., and Kevin
Neilson of Raleigh, N.C.; his uncle, Bill Foy (Freddie) of Cheyenne;
and several cousins.
For those who wish, memorial donations to the Billings Clinic Cancer
Center, the Powell Medical Foundation, the Moyer Animal Shelter or a
charity of one's choice would be appreciated by the family. Funeral services will be conducted Friday, Dec. 5, 1 p.m. at the
First United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Crown Hill Cemetery
with full military honors.
A public viewing is scheduled from 7 to 8:30 p.m.Thursday, Dec. 4 at
Thompson Funeral Home.