Charlotte Frances (Brown) Poe was born on a farm in Shelby County, Mo., on March 9, 1919 and passed on May 1, 2021 at age 102.
She leaves an adoring family consisting of her daughter, Phyllis Poe and husband, Tom Davidson, of Eureka Springs, Ark., her grandchildren and their spouses, Sara Spitzer and husband, David, of Chambersburg, Penn., Jonathan Stalling and wife, Amy, of Norman, Okla., Robin Barner and wife, Anna, Chris (Barner) Poe and wife, Ginny, all of Eureka Springs, Ark., and Claire Toumbs and husband Kyle, of Venus, Texas; great-grandchildren, Maya, Anemos and Luna Spitzer; Isaac, Eliana and Rowen Stalling; Beetrix, Ruby, Michael Smedley and Noel Smedley-Barner; Zoey and Benji Toumbs, and another little Poe yet to arrive; nieces Linda Reed and husband, Bob, and family, Verlena Dillon and husband, Wayne and family, Bernadine Callahan and family, Pat Webb and family, the late Patsy Webb’s family; nephews Edwin Baker and family, Richard Poe and wife, Peggy, and family, Gordon Poe and partner, Betty, and family, Jay Overton and his wife, Emily, and the late Gary Poe’s family.
She has now joined aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters-in-law and Hallie Davidson, a step-granddaughter who passed away just weeks before her. She would often remind her family on Earth that as much as she would like to stay here with us, she also had a family in heaven waiting for her.
Charlotte and Rev. Dr. George E. Poe married during The Great Depression just one week after she turned 17. Before she was married, she had to drop out of high school to work in a hosiery mill. It was not until she was in her thirties, a mother of two, and while George was the minister of the Methodist Church in Cameron, Mo., that she was able to finish her high school years. She actually went back to school and took classes with some of the youth that she and George ministered to in church.
Once she got her high school diploma, she, with encouragement from George, began watching for opportunities to further her education. While George was minister of the First Methodist Church in Poplar Bluff, Mo., several leaders in the community, including George, worked to open a Junior College. Charlotte was one of the first to attend.
When they had the opportunity to move to Maryville, Mo., the home of Northwest Missouri State University, as District Superintendent, he took it so she could attend and finish a degree in Education/Library Sciences. After getting her degree, she worked with the Head Start Program in Nodaway County and worked full time substitute teaching in Kansas City, Mo. She was proud of her achievements, but George and her family were the proudest of all.
She was also a partner with her husband in his career and took her role as the Methodist Minister’s wife seriously. She radiated the message that “God is Love” in all of her relations with church parishioners, friends, strangers, and especially family. She was known for her kindness to the very end of her 102 years. She had many wonderful stories to tell. She also had a sense of humor which would sneak up on you and leave you laughing in tears. She will be remembered for her beauty, wisdom, kindness and humor.
She was preceded in death by George, her husband of 60 years; her parents, Walter and Alta (Williams) Brown; her son, Dr. George Thomas Poe; siblings Ennis Browne, Pansy (Baker/Coulter) and Audrey (Schroder/Overton/Evans/Hart).
A graveside service will be held in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Moberly, Mo. Date is yet to be determined.
As church and education were important in her life, donations may be made in her name to The Clear Spring School in Eureka Springs, Ark., the Dr. George Thomas Poe Scholarship Fund, UMKC, Kansas City, Mo., or the Methodist Church of your choice.
Arrangements are under the direction of Nelson Funeral Service. Online condolences may be sent to the family at nelsonfuneral.com. © Nelson Funeral Service, Inc. 2021