Maurene Guffin

Maurene Guffin, 73, has lived in Gardendale for 52 years. She and her husband Dr. Truett Guffin raised their three sons there. Guffin said she was glad to finally put down roots and stay in one city.



• Why were you happy to settle down?

My father was a minister, so we moved every three years. Also, my husband was a minister’s son. Neither of us owned a house until we built our own house in Gardendale.



• Did you ever work?

I taught school at Gardendale Elementary from 1957 to 1962 and I taught in Montgomery a year before that. Also, from 1988 to 1996 my twin sister and I had a bridal shop, The Elegant Touch.



• Why did you leave teaching?

I got pregnant. Back then, you couldn’t teach school if you were showing. When the principal called and asked me to come back to work, I told him I was expecting again.



• Tell me about your husband’s work.

He is a retired anesthesiologist. He had a general practice in Gardendale before he went into anesthesia.



• What do you do for enjoyment?

I do a lot of work at my church, Gardendale First Baptist Church. I teach third-grade Sunday school and I help with Vacation Bible School. I also like to China paint, garden and sew. I’m active in the Samford Auxiliary (it was Howard College when I went there), the Gardendale Beautification Commission and the Garden Dale Garden Club.



• Do you have brothers and sisters?

I have an identical twin sister, Murlene Heilman, who lives in Gardendale. My sister Charlotte Akin teaches Spanish at Gardendale High School. Our brother John McGuire lives in Smoke Rise.



• Tell me about your family.

We have three sons, Brian, Scott and Grant, and nine grandchildren.