My friend Pamela K. Kinney posted the news of Rosemary Ellen Guiley’s death yesterday on the Haunt Jaunts Hangout Facebook group. I couldn’t believe it at first. Probably like most everyone else who heard the news, I was shocked.
Not that I knew Ms. Guiley. But I of course knew of her. She was often a guest speaker at paracons or a guest on radio shows. I don’t watch many paranormal TV shows anymore, but I was aware she had made appearances on some of those too.
Realization #1
What I didn’t realize until I read Den of Geek’s report of her death, was that she was an executive editor at Fate magazine, and that she had founded her own company, Visionary Living, Inc.
The Visionary Living Home page includes Rosemary’s bio front and center:
Rosemary Ellen Guiley is a leading expert in the metaphysical and paranormal fields, with more than 65 books published on a wide range of paranormal, spiritual, and mystical topics, including nine single-volume encyclopedias and reference works. Her current work focuses on inter-dimensional entity contact experiences, problem hauntings, spirit and entity attachments, the afterlife and spirit communications, psychic skills, dreamwork for well-being, spiritual growth and development, angels, past and parallel lives, and investigation of unusual paranormal activity. She has worked full-time in the field since 1983.
This now becomes quite an impressive summation of her life. Especially that she spent 36 years doing it full-time –and touched countless lives. (As evidenced by the tributes pouring in on her Facebook page.)
Realization #2
I don’t know how many years ago it was now. It was early on after I started Haunt Jaunts and started becoming more familiar with the mega names in the field.
It could’ve been during my first foray into paranormal radio back in 2012. I don’t know if John Tobin and Chip Reichenthal had had Rosemary as a guest on their show, Keeping the Spirits Alive, or if they were going to. Somehow her name came up, though, and I was like, “Why does that name sound familiar?”
Then it dawned on me: Because I had one of her books: The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits!
Except my version looks a little different from the one on Amazon:
I’m not sure how long I’ve had it. The copyright on my edition says 2000. I’m betting I picked it up because of my Harry’s incident. But were we still in Jacksonville at the time, or had we moved to Nashville by then? Did I buy it shortly after starting Haunt Jaunts, or had I had it already?
I’m not sure, but I do know I’ve had it for years and I’m very appreciative of the information within it.
Cause of Death?
The question everyone seems to be asking is, “What happened? What did she die from?”
Had her cancer come back?
Here’s a snippet from Coast to Coast AM’s “RIP Rosemary Ellen Guiley” post:
“It was in 1996 that I first knew of Rosemary, while doing my Nighthawk show in St. Louis, when I stumbled across her Encyclopedia of Dreams,” said George Noory, and “in 2003, when I began hosting Coast, I brought Rosemary along as a guest and we never looked back.”
“She had been battling cancer for some time,” George continued, “yet continued to go to conferences, write books, and appear on radio and television programs.”
Maybe in time her husband will reveal her cause of death.
For now, the paranormal community is mourning and remembering a woman who was a modern paranormal pioneer, a prolific author, and a passionate soul who, to borrow something else from the Coast to Coast AM post, will be “profoundly missed” by those who knew and loved her.
In Memoriam: Rosemary Ellen Guiley, July 8, 1950-July 22, 2019.
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, as well as obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of healing, to learn how she channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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I heard a re-broadcast of an interview she did with Noory just last week. She came across not only as knowledgeable and witty but also as such a kind person.
She must have been exactly all those things judging from all the tributes people were leaving on Facebook.
Shocking, shocking death. I know I’ll miss hearing her on Coast to Coast. I loved reading her books she wrote with the “Haunted Collector” (John Zaffis).
Court, you asked me what email I used to email you (I’ve just remembered you asked me!) and it was your Comcast email.
I guess I never put two and two together she authored books with him. Wow.
Also, oh geez. Now I’ve forgotten when I asked you the email question. But I know you have my Gmail one now right? Or maybe you used the Contact Us which sends a copy to my Gmail. But I have yours. I still need to email you about editing. BUT I need to have something for you to edit first. I haven’t finished it… 🙁
I didn’t know she wrote with him until I heard an interview with them on Coast to Coast (I think! It may have been on another Para podcast).
No worries, Court – really, no rush. I don’t think I have your gmail, but will use ‘Contact Us’ to get it. Thank you!