Janyce Kathryn Guess, affectionately known as “Jan,” entered her eternal heavenly home on September 30, 2026.

Jan was born in Temple, Texas, on May 5, 1938. During her childhood, her family lived on a dairy, where she learned the value of hard work by watching her father, who worked as a milkman. She attended Temple High School where she enjoyed yell leading, the tumbling team, and the Pepperettes.

On August 9, 1957, Jan married her high school sweetheart, Ronald Hugh Guess, at the Central Church of Christ in Temple. They resided in Waco until Ron was offered a job with J.C. Penney in Lubbock, where their daughter, Lynsey, was born. They lived there for about three years and attended the Sunset Church of Christ. They moved back to Temple shortly afterward, where their son, John, was born.

In 1967, they moved to Garland, Texas when Ron was hired as a pharmaceutical salesman by the UpJohn Company. While in Garland, they attended the Saturn Road Church of Christ. Together, Jan and Ron worked in the bus ministry and visitation ministry and sang for numerous weddings and funerals. They also loved traveling with friends from church, creating treasured memories for themselves and their families.

Jan was an accomplished artist who painted many watercolor, acrylic, and oil paintings. However, she found that oil painting was her favorite and her artwork found its way into galleries in New Mexico, Texas, California, and Louisiana, sharing her creativity and love of beauty with others.

To her family and friends, Jan may be best remembered for her love of singing, playing the piano, and bringing people together. After learning piano at an early age, she taught herself to play nearly any hymn or popular song by ear. She hosted numerous parties, gatherings, and holiday celebrations, filling her home with music, laughter, and love and creating warm, lasting memories for those around her.

Jan was preceded in death by her father, John Homer Little; her mother, Juanita May Little; her sister, Barbara Jeanne Davis; and her husband, Ronald Hugh Guess.

She is survived by her 2 children, Lynsey Smith and her husband, Jim Smith, of Rowlett; and John Guess of Garland.

Also surviving are 6 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren, Nathan Smith and his wife, Caitlin, of Plano and their children Oliver, Penelope, and Henry; Whitney Smith of San Francisco; Hayley Taylor and her husband, Demetrius, of Royse City and their children, Jaelyn and Dallas; Sarah Guess of San Antonio; Rachel St. John and her husband, Daniel, of San Antonio and their son Jacob; and Emily Smoot and her husband, Cody of San Antonio and their daughter, Madelyn; and her brothers-in-law, Ray Davis of Temple and Jamie Barnes of Ft. Worth.

A celebration of Jan’s life will be at 10:00am on Saturday, November 14, 2026 at Saturn Road Church of Christ in Garland, TX.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Cambodia Christian ministries: www.cambodiaministries.org, Agape Asia: agapeasia.org or Saturn Road Church of Christ missions: saturnroad.org