Ann Wai-Ye Guile
Ann Guile was born in Hong Kong on August 5, 1950. Her parents immigrated to America when she was four years old. She grew up with her six siblings in Far Rockaway, NY. She graduated from Far Rockaway High School and pursued work during those high school years to help support the family. Ann's strong work ethic was affirmed by jobs she held as a babysitter, grocery store and department store associate, and office manager. Ann attended Queens College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. Her drive to help others motivated her to pursue social work professionally. She matriculated at Boston University and acquired both a Master of Science in Social Work and a Master of Arts in African-American Studies.
Ann met her spouse in Boston, MA. After graduation and a period of social work in Boston, they traveled to South America to work for the Ministry of Health in Paramaribo, Suriname. There, she worked as a statistician for the dermatology service, collecting and reporting data on tropical diseases, including establishing a leprosy registry. While in Suriname, she married Dr. Earl Ernest Guile, her husband of 44 years, and gave birth to both of her children, Mark and Geoffrey. This would mark the beginning of an exciting chapter for Ann, as she lived in unique locales around the world while raising her two boys with her husband.
After three years in Portland, OR, in the spirit of service and adventure, Ann moved with the family to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She continued as a devoted, loving mother to her sons and began work there as the Administrator for the Chief of Radiology at King Saud University Medical School. She later worked for the Dean of the medical school and became Founder and Managing Editor of the Journal of the Saudi Heart Association, producing 40 issues of the publication over ten years. Ann was also the annual Conference Coordinator for the same association. After 20 years in Riyadh and Dhahran, Ann then relocated with her husband to Jeddah to join a project to develop King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, a new research university on the Red Sea. Ultimately, Ann spent nearly half of her life living and working in developing countries. Ann's retirement years were spent with her husband in Portland, OR.
With a shared love of travel, Ann, her husband, and her children spent every summer exploring the world. She visited a total of 55 countries in her lifetime. In addition to travel, her passions and interests extended to the cultural arts, sewing, jewelry design and fabrication for family and friends, interior decorating, walking, reading, cinema, and avid collection of porcelain dolls, Swarovski crystals, antique jewelry, and ornamental boxes. Above all else, Ann loved food. She appreciated meals from elevated gourmet cuisine to street food in Hong Kong. Ann was happiest with her family around the table and a big bowl of noodles.
Ann passed peacefully in her sleep at Peace Health Hospital, Vancouver, WA, 3:31 AM, July 16, 2021. She was predeceased by her parents, Pon Foung and Fan Tai Foung, and her elder brother, Casey Foung. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Earl Ernest Guile, her two sons, Mark and Geoffrey Guile, her grandson, Arthur Guile, her daughter-in-law, Amanda Guile, her siblings, Hope Woo, Dr. Steven Foung, Susan Lau, Jane Tai, and James Foung, her mother-in-law, Evelyn Guile, her sisters-in-law, Georgia Montgomery, Celine Foung, Patricia Foung, Cheryl Foung, Esq., her brothers-in-law, Jerry Woo, Dr. Joseph Lau, and Benedict Tai, Esq., along with seven nephews and eight nieces.
May her soul rest in eternal love and everlasting peace.
Services will be held on August 11, 2021, at:
Coffey Funeral Home
91 North Broadway
Tarrytown, NY 10591
In lieu of flowers, please send donations honoring Ann to Save the Children Fund at: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/ways-to-help/ways-to-give/honor-someone-special
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