On September 23, 2025, the world lost a remarkable woman as Cathenia Spencer Guider passed peacefully on her 97th birthday. Born on September 23, 1928, in Eutaw Alabama, she was the 4 th child of Reverend Curley James Rev. Curley James Spencer (August 11, 1898 – October 16, 1981) from Green County, Alabama. Rev. Spencer attended the Gammon Theological Seminary (Founded in 1883) in Atlanta, Georgia where he received his formal theological training and became a pastor.

He married Alice Elmira Coleman.

Cathenia attended Greene County High School and earned degrees at Benedict College and Allen University, and the Waverly School of Nursing where she earned a LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) all in Columbia, South Carolina. Cathenia lived a life full of service, joy, and inspiration.

Cathenia was an accomplished educator who dedicated over 50 years to the students of Warren County Schools in Warrenton, Georgia. She served in the capacity as a teacher and librarian, where she was named Teacher of the Year in 1961. She approached teaching with the same no-nonsense determination that defined her life. Her students and colleagues knew her as someone who set high expectations, followed through on every commitment, and spoke with clarity and conviction. Beyond her work in the classroom, she also answered another noble call by caring for her patients as a licensed practical nurse. Her compassion for others was matched only by her straightforward personality, which were both respected and deeply admired.

A woman of adventure and curiosity, Cathenia enjoyed RVing and traveling via limousine, always embracing the opportunity to see new places and create cherished memories. She was also an avid reader, a lover of words and stories, who never stopped learning or exploring the world through books. She lived faithfully by the comforting words of Psalms 23, a guiding truth that anchored her determined spirit in faith. She traveled to Nepal, Thailand and Brazil as a delegate for the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE).

Cathenia was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond L. Guider (Columbia, SC) and her beloved daughter, Dr. Cora A. Johnson (Hephzibah, GA).

She is survived by her devoted daughter Cathenia Doretha Guider Dobbs and son-in-law Eric L. Dobbs, Sr. of Lilburn GA; three beloved grandchildren, Cora Victoria Turner (Jeffery Turner) of Lawrenceville, GA, Coley Works, Jr. (Jessica Works) of Snellville, GA, and Christopher Works of Decatur, GA; and her darling great-grandchild, Christina A. Turner, who brought her endless joy. Also, Mrs. Guider leaves behind a sister Anna Bea Ford of Chicago, Illinois, as well as a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Her life was a beautiful testament to faith and perseverance. She taught others not only through her profession but through her example, demonstrating the power of determination. Though she will be deeply missed, her influence will continue to inspire all who knew her. May we honor her memory by living with the same strength, conviction, and grace that she so generously shared.