Irma G. Guy - Obituary

Irma G. Guy of Annapolis, MD passed away at her home on July 12, 2020. Irma was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth H. Guy, Jr and her beloved sister Catherine Kramer. She is survived by her three daughters, Nancy (Richard) Guy Freeman, Patricia Guy Mahaffey, Judith (Doug) Guy Gardner; five grandchildren, Travis Mahaffey, Morgan Mahaffey, Emily Freeman, Josie Gardner and Nicole (Matt) Popen; and two great-grandsons, Casey and Sam. Irma was born in Buffalo, NY to the late Edward and Catherine Trometer. She met her husband, Ken, on a blind date and they both immediately realized they had found "The One." They married soon after and started their family. Ken’s job moved them first to Laurel, MD then to Bel Air in Harford County, MD where they built a home and raised their daughters. In 1977, Ken’s job moved them back to western New York for a few years before they returned to Bowie, MD. In the early years of their marriage, Irma supported Ken as he worked to obtain both his master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Maryland. During this time, Irma also attended the University of Maryland and later received her associate degree from Harford Community College – something she was very proud of. She was a devout Christian and supported many Lutheran and Methodist charities. She was a member of St. Matthews United Methodist Church in Bowie. After Ken’s death in 1987, Irma moved to Heritage Harbour in Annapolis where she lived for 30 years until her death. Irma joined and then led groups for the Widowed Persons Support Group and Parents Without Partners – helping others navigate the difficult journey through grief. She became very active at Heritage Harbour, serving on several homeowners’ association committees. She made many dear friends there, including many she met through her dedicated and engaging participation in the welcoming committee. She frequently drove other residents to doctor appointments and brought supplies to a local women’s shelter. Irma loved to play bridge and played with several bridge groups. After playing a winning round of bridge, she would often call her daughters to casually mention how well she had just done. She was a regular with her Pay-Me group and was active in the Heritage Harbour Dining Club. It was about this time that she met Ross Macaulay who became a significant part of her life. She became very close to his family and they stayed an important part of her life even after his death. Irma loved her daughters, their spouses, and her grandchildren. Christmas at her house cherished by everyone in the family. She took each of her grandchildren shopping individually for birthday and Christmas gifts, spending afternoons in the mall and going out to lunch. Her organizational skills were unparalleled, and her lists were always at the ready. She read her newspaper faithfully, keeping up with current events and clipping articles to share. She texted on her iPhone with a creative and somewhat excessive use of emojis, and often invented new abbreviations that made her family chuckle. Her family and friends knew her as someone who always had enough time to find out how you were doing. She was rarely in a hurry and knew how to make people feel special. Irma was generous with her time, attention, and resources. She quietly served those she knew and made a difference for so many. She left the world a far better place because she was here. A visitation will be held on Friday, July 17 from 3 until Irma’s funeral service begins at 4:30 pm at the Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater, MD. In compliance with CDC guidelines, all guests are reminded to wear masks and maintain proper social distancing. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Bowie Food Pantry, 2614 Kenhill Drive, Suite 134, Bowie, MD 20715. Online condolences may be offered using the Memory Link at the top of this page.