Nancy Carolyn Guynes Agnew
Known as Teence or Teencey to her family and many friends, Nancy was born in the family home on Nov. 18, 1930 in Big Lake, Texas. She was the seventh child of James Wright and Cornelia Easter Kellogg Guynes. Teence grew up on a Humble Oil Company pump station where her father was the District Engineer. She attended Big Lake Schools during her early years until the family moved to Ballinger, Texas. A Ballinger Bearcat through and through, Teence spent her high school years as Bearcat cheerleader and was very involved in numerous school activities and organizations. Upon graduation in 1947, Teence furthered her education earning a degree in elementary education from North Texas State College (University of North Texas) where she was also a member of Kappa Delta Sorority.
Teence began her teaching career in the Dallas Independent School District and during this time, she married her then husband Thomas Wesley Agnew, Jr. (Jimmy) also of Ballinger. Upon his graduation from Baylor College of Dentistry and at the urging of her first cousin, Dr. James Jarrell Muirhead, Jimmy and Teence moved to Vernon, Texas. With the move to Vernon and starting a family, Jimmy and Teence decided it was time to put her teaching career on hold as she involved herself in her children’s many pursuits. She was a Cub Scout Den Mother, a Camp Fire Leader, and once again cheering from the sidelines of her children’s many sporting, educational, and church events. In 1974, Teence resumed her teaching career in the Vernon ISD, eventually teaching a number of years in Cedar Hill ISD and Lubbock ISD. With the birth of her third grandchild, Teence put down the chalk stick following her 23rd year of teaching and returned to Vernon to be a full-time grandmother.
Teence is survived by her son, Thomas Wesley Agnew, III and wife Laura; her daughter, Ann Catherine Agnew Tacker and husband Troy; five grandchildren who were the apples of her eye, Elizabeth Agnew Aitan and husband Asher of Dallas; Suzanne Burch Agnew, Thomas Wesley Agnew, IV and Joseph Henry Agnew all of Midland; Ryan Luke Tacker of San Angelo; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her siblings James Wright Guynes, Jr., Charles Miller Guynes, Henry Kellogg Guynes, Colonel Joseph Bexton Guynes, Catherine Guynes Alford and Ann Guynes Wear.
Teence was a lifelong Methodist.
Visitation will be at Sullivan Funeral Home on Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 a,m., followed by a graveside service at 4 p.m., at Evergreen Cemetery – Ballinger, Texas at the Guynes family plot.
Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, Wilbarger General Hospital, Eagle Flats Village, or a charity of choice.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.sullivanfuneralhomevernon.com.
