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Junius 'Foy' Guin Birmingham, AL QCWA # 15089 Chapter 40 |
Feb. 2, 1924 - Nov. 8, 2016 Judge J. Foy Guin, Jr. was born Feb. 2, 1924, in Russellville, AL and passed away Nov. 8, 2016.
He was preceded in death by his parents J. Foy Guin, Sr. and Ruby Pace Guin, and his brother, Dr. Jere Guin. He is survived by his wife Dorace Caldwell Guin and children Jan Smith (Tommy), Judy Mullican (Jim), Jay Guin (Denise), and David Guin (April), grandchildren Tracey Smith Wagner (Matt), Beth Smith, Forrest Smith, Lyle Mullican (Sarah), Cathy Mullican, Chris Guin, Jonathan Guin (Erin), Tyler Guin (Tara) , Philip Guin, John Guin (Laura), Kristen Guin, Emily Guin and great-grandchildren Elijah and Caleb Mullican, and Daniel and Rachel Guin.
Judge Guin graduated in 1940 from Russellville HS. At the University of Alabama, he earned his BA (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and JD (Order of the Coif, ODK) with time out for his service as an infantry 1st Lt. during WWII. After graduating from OCS in 1944 as a communication officer, he trained recruits and later was sent to Camp Swift near Austin, TX, where he met and married Dorace Caldwell. They left immediately for California, where he had been ordered to study Mandarin Chinese with plans to become a liaison officer with the Chinese army. When the war ended, he completed his law degree and began practicing with his father in Russellville. He served on the State Bar Commission, the Board of the Alabama Law Institute, the Alabama Supreme Court's Advisory Commission to revise the rules of practice and procedure, and was the first chairman of the Judicial Commission, later renamed the Judicial Inquiry Commission. He founded several companies and in 1973 was named Citizen of the Year for Russellville. In 1973, he was appointed by President Nixon as U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama. Among the thousands of cases he heard were the Birmingham school desegregation case, the right of a prisoner to have a prompt bond hearing, and the Jefferson County sewer case. Another notable case involved the right of veterans to have their service time computed as part of their retirement pay, which raised the pensions of more than 7 million veterans. Judge Guin served as an elder of the North Highlands Church of Christ in Russellville, and the West End Church of Christ and Palisades Church of Christ in Birmingham. In all 3 churches, he was chairman of the foreign missions committee, something especially close to his heart. He also served on the boards of Childhaven and Faulkner University.
For many years he was an active ham radio operator (W4RLS), an avid golfer, music lover, world traveler and supporter of the Crimson Tide. A kind and generous man, he loved his God, his church, his family and the law.
A memorial service will be held at the Palisades Church of Christ on Friday, Nov. 11, 2016, at 2:00 pm with visitation starting at 12:30 pm the same day. Suggested memorial gifts are to Childhaven Orphans home, Rainbow Omega, or Heritage Christian University.
Published by The Birmingham News from Nov. 10 to Nov. 11, 2016.