William Merritt Guillet, Sr.

November 22, 1924 ~ November 15, 1998
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
William Merritt Guillet, Sr., 73, a widely respected Asheville art director and designer, died Sunday, Nov. 15, 1998 at his home in Asheville.
Guillet's 45 year career in the graphic arts included posts in Washington, D.C., with some of the nation's leading publications and posts in Western North Carolina. He was a particularly strong advocate of family and traditional American values, and was steadfast in his love of country.
Born Nov. 22, 1924 in Greenville, SC, he was a long-time resident of Buncombe and Jackson counties. He was the son of the late Joseph P. Guillet and Elizabeth M. Guillet, formerly of Asheville.
After graduation from Western High School in the District of Columbia, he attended the Cocoran School of Art in Washington and Parson's School of Design and Fordham University in New York.
A Marine Corps veteran, he served in the Pacific Theater with the Second Marine Division during World War II. Honoring the Marine motto, he remained Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful) to the corps throughout his life.
He retired in 1990 from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, where he served as art director for the Office of Public Information.
A designer in the Asheville area just before joining the staff at WCU, Guillet served as art director for Biltmore House and Gardens and Biltmore Dairy, and he was president of his own firm, Guillet Associates.
Prior to his return to Western North Carolina, he was an assistant art director at the U.S.I.A. and U.S. News and World Report. He served as art director for Kiplingers Washington Letters and Changing Times Magazine.
Guillet taught Advertising Design at the Corcoran School of Art and at Southwestern Technical College in Webster.
A member of the National Press Club in Washington, he was a previous member of the V.F.W., American Institute of Graphic Arts, Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington and the Asheville Rotary Club. He attended Trinity Episcopal Church in Asheville.
He coached Little League and Babe Ruth baseball in Fairfax, VA and in Asheville.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Anne Rouse Gillett of the home; two sons, William Merritt Guillet, Jr. and his wife Anne W. of Waynesville and Joseph Charles Guillet and his wife Tinker S. of Asheville; two daughters, Judy G. Jones and her husband Allmond H., of Weaverville and Mary G. Hornowski and her husband, Dr. Kenneth E., of Asheville and five grandchildren.
Services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at Riverside Cemetery in Asheville. The Rev. Daniel Frauler will officiate. Visitation will be held at Riverside following the services.
Groce Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be made to the Buncombe County Veterans Council Memorial Team, P.O. Box 12, Asheville, NC 28816 or the Mountain Area Hospice, P.O. Box 16, Asheville, NC 28802.
Guillet's 45 year career in the graphic arts included posts in Washington, D.C., with some of the nation's leading publications and posts in Western North Carolina. He was a particularly strong advocate of family and traditional American values, and was steadfast in his love of country.
Born Nov. 22, 1924 in Greenville, SC, he was a long-time resident of Buncombe and Jackson counties. He was the son of the late Joseph P. Guillet and Elizabeth M. Guillet, formerly of Asheville.
After graduation from Western High School in the District of Columbia, he attended the Cocoran School of Art in Washington and Parson's School of Design and Fordham University in New York.
A Marine Corps veteran, he served in the Pacific Theater with the Second Marine Division during World War II. Honoring the Marine motto, he remained Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful) to the corps throughout his life.
He retired in 1990 from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, where he served as art director for the Office of Public Information.
A designer in the Asheville area just before joining the staff at WCU, Guillet served as art director for Biltmore House and Gardens and Biltmore Dairy, and he was president of his own firm, Guillet Associates.
Prior to his return to Western North Carolina, he was an assistant art director at the U.S.I.A. and U.S. News and World Report. He served as art director for Kiplingers Washington Letters and Changing Times Magazine.
Guillet taught Advertising Design at the Corcoran School of Art and at Southwestern Technical College in Webster.
A member of the National Press Club in Washington, he was a previous member of the V.F.W., American Institute of Graphic Arts, Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington and the Asheville Rotary Club. He attended Trinity Episcopal Church in Asheville.
He coached Little League and Babe Ruth baseball in Fairfax, VA and in Asheville.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Anne Rouse Gillett of the home; two sons, William Merritt Guillet, Jr. and his wife Anne W. of Waynesville and Joseph Charles Guillet and his wife Tinker S. of Asheville; two daughters, Judy G. Jones and her husband Allmond H., of Weaverville and Mary G. Hornowski and her husband, Dr. Kenneth E., of Asheville and five grandchildren.
Services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at Riverside Cemetery in Asheville. The Rev. Daniel Frauler will officiate. Visitation will be held at Riverside following the services.
Groce Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be made to the Buncombe County Veterans Council Memorial Team, P.O. Box 12, Asheville, NC 28816 or the Mountain Area Hospice, P.O. Box 16, Asheville, NC 28802.
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