Victoria Frances Guarisco

Victoria Frances Guarisco, aged 58, a native of Daphne, Alabama, and longtime resident of Byron, Georgia, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her family on February 28, 2024.

Born in Mobile, Alabama to Alfred Valenti Guarisco and Joan Cink Guarisco, Vicki attended Christ the King Catholic School and Fairhope High School.   She went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Spring Hill College, followed by a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.  

Dr. Guarisco began her distinguished teaching career at Dalton State College, where she taught chemistry for eleven years before moving to Mississippi.  She returned to Georgia in 2006 and served as a visiting assistant professor at Mercer University for two years.  She subsequently joined the Chemistry Department at Macon State College, now Middle Georgia State University, where she spent the last sixteen years of her career, rising to the rank of Full Professor.

In response to the educational challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Guarisco innovatively created a YouTube channel, featuring over one hundred tutorial videos to assist students with chemistry problems. Her dedication to education extended beyond the classroom, as she, along with a colleague, established a course-embedded undergraduate research experience in Chemistry at Middle Georgia State University. In 2023, she was honored with the Excellence in Full-Time Teaching award.

Dr. Guarisco was also deeply committed to her community, volunteering with the Boy Scouts of America and various workshops. She was an avid reader and enjoyed hand sewing, jelly making, gardening, and raising her goats.

She was predeceased by her mother, Joan Cink Guarisco. Dr. Guarisco is survived by her husband, Rick Guffey, and her son, Wyatt Henry Guffey of Byron, GA; her father, Alfred V. Guarisco of Daphne, AL; her brothers, Gregory A. (Julie) Guarisco and Michael A. (Laura) Guarisco of Daphne, and Dr. John A. Guarisco of Montgomery; and her sister, Katherine Guarisco (Jorge) Alsip of Daphne.  Many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends will also cherish her memory.

Visitation will be held at 6:00-8:00 PM on Monday, March 4, 2024, at McCullough Funeral Home, 417 S. Houston Lake Road, Warner Robins, GA.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 AM on Friday, March 8. 2024, at Christ the King Catholic Church, 711 College Ave, Daphne, AL, with Reverend Johnny Savoie as celebrant.  A graveside service will follow at Belforest Catholic Cemetery. The family will receive visitors in the Immaculata Center at Christ the King Catholic Church from 9:00-10:00 AM.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rapahope, 2701 Airport Blvd., Mobile, AL 36606 or Jay’s Hope, 1157-B Forsyth St., Macon, GA 31201. Arrangements are by McCullough Funeral Home, Warner Robins, GA.