[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 53 (Monday, March 24, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                  TRIBUTE TO MRS. EVELYN BENNETT GUILE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 24, 2025

  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the 
extraordinary life of Evelyn Bennett Guile. Mrs. Guile transitioned on 
March 23, 2025, at the remarkable age of 107 years. Her life is a 
testament to resilience, dedication, and service to her family, church, 
and community.
  Born on February 11, 1918, in Florence County, South Carolina, Evelyn 
was the middle child among five brothers and one sister. She grew up 
between South Carolina and Pennsylvania, attending both integrated and 
segregated schools before graduating from Wilson High School in 1936. 
These experiences shaped her lifelong passion for education and 
equality.
  Ms. Bennett Guile was a devoted wife to Earl Ernest Guile for 44 
years until his passing in 1980. Together, they raised two children, 
Georgia Guile Montgomery of Orangeburg, South Carolina, and Dr. Ernest 
Earl Guile, Jr., of Portland, Oregon. She is the proud matriarch of a 
large family, including grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-
great-grandchildren.
  A lifelong member of Mount Zion AME Church, Mrs. Guile was active in 
church organizations, including the Stewardess Board and the Lay 
Organization. She used her talents as a seamstress to craft altar 
coverings and refurbished a meeting room dedicated to her late husband, 
who served as Sunday School superintendent for 30 years.
  Evelyn's entrepreneurial spirit led her to establish the first sewing 
shop in Florence, South Carolina, serving a diverse clientele despite 
segregation. For over 50 years, she provided dressmaking services 
before teaching sewing classes. Her artistic talents extended to 
clothing and hat design, ceramics, painting, and China painting, which 
she embraced at age 60.
  Alongside her husband, then-president of the Florence NAACP, she 
fought tirelessly for justice and equality. Despite threats, the Guiles 
opened their home to Civil Rights leaders such as Thurgood Marshall and 
Benjamin E. Mays, working to dismantle segregation in South Carolina.
  Mrs. Bennett Guile remained vibrant and engaged throughout her life, 
attributing her longevity to exercise, a healthy diet, and mental 
stimulation. She lived independently until age 103 and continued to 
embrace lifelong learning. A world traveler, Evelyn visited all seven 
continents and explored the U.S. in her Airstream camper. One of her 
most cherished experiences was driving over 6,000 miles across Africa, 
reconnecting with her ancestral homeland.
  Even in her later years, she continued to inspire others with her 
wisdom and kindness. She often reminded those around her to ``follow 
your dreams,'' a sentiment that perfectly encapsulates the way she 
lived her life--with purpose, passion, and a commitment to uplifting 
others.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in honoring 
the extraordinary life and legacy of Evelyn Bennett Guile. May her 
remarkable journey continue to inspire generations to come, and may we 
carry forward the values she held dear.

                          ____________________