Obituary of Professor S. John Guson

Professor S. John Guson Professor Emeritus, St. Bonaventure University Olean, NY--Professor S. John Guson, Professor Emeritus of St. Bonaventure University, of 705 W. Henley St., died Tuesday (April 18, 2006) in the Olean General Hospital after a brief illness. Born March 10, 1915 in Boston, MA, he was the son of John and Jamillah Makdessi Guson. On June 28, 1944, in the Devereux Hall Chapel on the campus of St. Bonaventure University, he married the former Martha Aud, who survives. Professor Guson attended Boston Latin School and later earned a Bachelor's of Business Administration and a Master's of Business Administration from Boston University. He also completed two years of post-graduate work at Columbia University, studying what would become his area of specialization: income taxes. Professor Guson began teaching at St. Bonaventure in 1941. During his career at St. Bonaventure, he helped to build the accounting department in both size and stature, increasing its faculty and cementing its reputation as a nationally recognized School of Business. He was also the university's Assistant Registrar and a longstanding member of many academic and support committees. He was the only Chairman of the Accounting Department from 1944 until his retirement in 1980. Professor Guson maintained a private accounting practice in Olean until his death. He was a charter member of the Olean-Bradford Area Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), the forerunner of the National Association of Cost Accountants. He served on its board of directors and was elected its president. In addition, he was appointed to its national board of directors. Professor Guson was an inductee of the Stuart Cameron !McCleod Society, an honorary society of accountants consisting of past presidents of the IMA. He was a member of St. Mary of the Angels Church in Olean and was a member and two-term president of the Bartlett Country Club. He served on the board of governors of the Association for Retarded Citizens and as financial consultant to both the Community Broadcasting Association and the American Monument Association. Professor Guson and his wife were granted an affiliation into Holy Name Province in the Order of Friars Minor in 1988. Surviving besides his wife are three daughters, Rosanne (Gregg) Nasky of Honolulu, HI, Denise Guson of Fort Lauderdale, FL and Mim (Nigel) Harrison of Plantation, FL; one sister, Rosanne Saleh of Dedham, MA and two nieces. He was predeceased by five brothers and sisters. Friends will be received at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home, 3128 W. State Rd. in Olean, on Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday (April 21, 2006) at 10:00am in the St. Bonaventure University Chapel. Rev. Mathias Doyle, OFM, will be the principal celebrant. Rev. Lawrence D. Ford, OFM, will concelebrate. Burial will be in St. Bonaventure Cemetery, Allegany, NY. Memorials may be made to St. Mary of the Angels Church or to the St. Bonaventure University Accounting Department.