Rev. Gloria Bonita Guinn Jennings

Memorial service for Gloria Bonita Guinn Jennings, 90, of Rusk will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the First United Methodist Church in Rusk with Rev. Dr. Sunny Farley, Nancy Guinn, and Marni Matyus officiating. Burial will follow at Lynches Chapel Cemetery. Mrs. Jennings died March 29, 2026. She was born May 16, 1935, in Rusk to Mearl Amber Wallace and Joe Hearne Guinn. She graduated from Rusk High School in 1953 and attended Lon Morris College and Stephen F. Austin State College. She graduated from the Course of Study at St. Paul’s School of Theology in Kansas City, Mo. in July 2001. Mrs. Jennings spent more than 50 years in the newspaper business. She was employed at the Rusk Cherokeean in the 1960s and then at the Jacksonville Daily Progress for 13 years prior to returning to the Cherokeean Herald in 1980, where she remained until February 18, 2015. She was licensed to preach in the United Methodist Church in 1988. She served pastorates at the Pierces Chapel UMC circuit–including Pierces Chapel, Dialville, and Mount Selman. She later pastored at Woods in Panola County and Laws Chapel and Shiloh in Cass County. She also was pastor of the Church Hill Circuit in Rusk County, serving Church Hill, Oak Hill, and Oakland United Methodist churches. After 10 years, she left the Church Hill and Oak Hill churches and remained at Oakland for several years. Mrs. Jennings was involved in various areas of community life in Rusk and Cherokee County. She served on the Rusk City Council for 14 years. She was a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Preceding her in death were her parents; a sister, Mary Kate Guinn Holcomb; brothers, Bryan Wallace Guinn and Terry Joe Guinn; a brother-in-law, Elam Johnston Holcomb; her son, John David Jennings; her son-in-law, John McGuinness; and her nephew, Daniel Mims. Survivors include her daughter, Cynthia Ann McGuinness; daughter-in-law, Debbie Jennings; grandchildren, Benjamin Chad Jarratt, Megan Jennings Bowman and Tim Bowman, and Joe Bob and Amanda Jennings; great-grandchildren, Austin Randall, Hunter Randall, Mason Bowman, Alyssa Bowman, Kamdyn and Tinsley Jennings; a brother and sister-in-law, Wayne Keith and Toni Guinn; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Nancy Jane Guinn and Dixie Lee and Col. (Ret.) Bill Mayall; a brother-in-law, Bobby Mims; a sister-in-law, Charlene Guinn; nieces and nephews, Todd Guinn, Kecia Wallace, Marni Matyus, Nina Corson, Ben Mims, Lillianna Mims, Maggie Dodson, Jennifer Guinn, Elizabeth Guinn, and their spouses and children. Rev. Dr. Sunny Farley officiating. Services are under the direction of the Guinn family.

Rev. Gloria Bonita Guinn Jennings

May 16, 1935 - March 29, 2026