James (“Jim”) Stanley Guy, 71, of Cary, North Carolina passed away on September 6, 2021 at Duke University Hospital of Durham, North Carolina after a yearlong, brave battle, with glioblastoma, brain cancer. He was born on March 21, 1950 in Cleveland Tennessee to Stanley and Evelyn Guy.
Jim graduated from Kimball High School in Royal Oak, Michigan in 1968 and made the difficult decision to move back to Tennessee leaving his parents, brothers, and sisters in Michigan. Jim’s love for his Aunt Hattie and his family’s farm in Benton, Tennessee and other extended family drew him back to his birthplace. His family followed him shortly thereafter. The farm, “the homeplace” as he called it, continued to bring him much joy throughout his life.
Shortly, after moving back to Benton, Jim fell in love with his everything, his wife of 52 years, Wilma. His daughter and lifelong “sunshine” Amy was born a few years later. Jim moved his family to Knoxville where he attended the University of Tennessee and earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1980, and his Ph.D. in 1984.
In 1984, Jim, Wilma, and Amy moved to Cary, North Carolina where Jim began a thirty-seven-year career at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine (“CVM”). Jim served as a Professor of Poultry Health Management in the Department of Population Health and Pathobiology. He was the advisor for the Virology section of the CVM Clinical Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory. His research focused on viruses that adversely affect poultry production, including the study of infectious laryngotracheitis, turkey coronaviral enteritis, alphavirus-induced reproductive failure in turkeys, Marek’s disease virus-induced immune suppression and proventriculitis in broiler chickens. He participated in the NCSU Global Health Initiative as a member of the Latin America/Caribbean interest group, and he traveled frequently to South America and Mexico to educate poultry veterinarians and producers on control and management of infectious laryngotracheitis. In addition to his many accomplishments and accolades, in 2017 he received a Philbro Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Avian Pathologists for his work in poultry research. His greatest love during his career were his students. He had a magical way of making viruses very cool in the classroom and laboratory. You’d be hard pressed to find a former student who did not hold him in high esteem or remember his witty exclamations that “viruses rock!”.
His greatest joy and apple of his eye was Amy’s son Jennings. His goal was that Jennings would love him as much as he loved his own grandfather and that spurred lots of quality time with his “boy”. Jennings was his happiness and pride of his heart.
He was an avid reader and had a special love for reading and learning about our country’s history from the American Revolution to World War II. He was a die-hard University of Tennessee football fan and his blood ran orange unless Duke University was playing basketball and then it ran Duke blue. Jim enjoyed walks with Wilma, bike rides with his favorite “boy” Jennings, and IPAs at beer:30 with Amy and close friends.
He had a strong faith and an abiding love for Jesus. His favorite hymn was “Victory in Jesus” as it embodied his strong belief that he was His. His conviction was to live in the example of his Savior, and he did that every day. He was a kind, gentle, selfless, compassionate, and giving man. We will miss him but we know where we will find him.
He had a love for life and lived in every moment with a signature whistle that signaled his happiness. He had a boyish grin that usually accompanied a wink from his left eye for the receiver of his warmth. He never met a stranger and anyone who met him knew instantly he was one of the good ones. Jim was especially beloved by his siblings and he reminded them all of their father. Family was very important and beloved to him and he was central to keeping his six siblings and nieces and nephews and other extended family close over the years. He was a loving husband, father, brother, grandfather, and friend.
He is survived by his wife Wilma Hatcher Guy, his daughter Amy Guy Fitzhugh (Trey) and cherished grandson Jennings. He is also survived by his brothers Larry Guy (Phyliss) of Benton, Tennessee; Dwight Guy of Clinton, Tennessee; sisters Lynnette Guy Crocker (Charles) of Delray Beach, Florida; Janet Guy Moorhouse (Van) of Delano, Tennessee; Lisa Guy Rohrbach (Dale) of Dumfries, Virginia; and Gwen Guy of Knoxville, Tennessee. He was adored by his twenty-three nieces, nephews, and grand nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Stanley and Evelyn Guy, sister Kathleen Guy Kinser, and nephew Richard Stanley Guy.
He will be greatly missed.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University at this site: https://tischbraintumorcenter.duke.edu/donate.
A private graveside service will be held at Historic Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh.
A celebration will be held at Fortnight Brewery in Cary the first week of October for all Jim’s friends to attend. Details to follow.
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