Alta Josselet McGuire

Alta Josselet McGuire finished the race God had planned for her on Saturday, March 11, 2023, after 89 years of living, loving, and serving well. She was remembered and celebrated on Wednesday, March 15, at the First Baptist Church, Haskell, where she was a member. She publicly professed Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior on Jan. 10, 1943. She served Him faithfully by teaching Sunday School, VBS, and raising a God-honoring family. Rev. Josh Fitchett officiated, under the direction of Smith Family Funeral Homes.

Alta was born on Oct. 25, 1933 to M.C. ‘Shorty’ Josselet and Lois Trimmer Josselet and grew up on a farm near Josselet Switch in Haskell County. She learned to work hard and be a good steward of every blessing. She graduated as the valedictorian of the Weinert High School Class of 1951 and married Floyd McGuire, Jr. on June 6 of that same year. They began their life together farming and welcomed two sons, Mike and Steve. Due to the drought, they moved their young family to Sul Ross State University in Alpine where they both received their bachelor’s degree in education.

Alta began her teaching career in Ira where she taught second grade for two years before moving back home to Haskell County where she taught in O’Brien for two years while Floyd farmed and taught high school math in Rule and Knox City. In 1964 they moved to Munday where she taught third grade for 25 years. She was an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma and Haskell County Retired Teachers’ Association. After her retirement in 1989, she continued to tutor everyone who would open a book with her. Teaching kids to read was the joy of her life, and the success of her students and their love for ‘Mrs. McGuire’ continued to bless her life to the very end.

Alta loved teaching and farming and worked hard to excel at both, but her greatest blessing was her family. She wore her Josselet heritage as a badge of honor and was always quick to share her direct lineage from Victor and Catherine, her great grandparents, who settled in Haskell County in 1900. God blessed Floyd and Alta with two sons who gave ‘Maw’ her four grandsons, one granddaughter, and twelve great grandchildren.

Maw was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one brother Wayne Josselet.

Alta is survived by her sons and daughters-inlove Mike and Jo Mc-Guire and Steve and Phoi McGuire, all of Haskell; grandchildren Paul and Melinda McGuire of Clyde, Cy and Jennifer McGuire of Aledo, Zac and Tiffany McGuire of McKinney, Cliff and Erica McGuire of Haskell, and Tillie McGuire of Abilene; great grandchildren Matthew, Addison, Luke, Caden, Emily, Harper, Wyatt, Piper, Tatum, Hudson, Tate, and Hayes; brother and wife Danny and Vickie Josselet; and a dear aunt Alma Terrell all of Haskell and a host of nieces and nephews.

Online condolences can be shared with the family at www.smithfamilyfh.com.