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Richard Poe

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Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, at Northside Church of Christ, with burial at Maplewood Cemetery; arrangements are with Holt Memorial Chapel.

Richard Poe (Dick), beloved husband and father, died Sunday afternoon, Oct. 4 (2020). For 90 years he was the rudder and strength of his family. He was tired and frail. It was time to go home. We are mourning his loss but rejoice in knowing he finished the race.

Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, at Northside Church of Christ. Steve Powers will officiate. Burial will be at Maplewood Cemetery. Pallbearers are Jerry Honey, Clyde Johnson, Bob Seesengood, Taylor Gammon, Kevin Jayne and Phillip Draper. Honorary Pallbearers include E.R Taylor, David Kernodle, and Northside Church of Christ Elders, Sam Alexander, Dr. Kenny Collins, Larry Keener, Harold Johnson, Scott Miller and Carl Dean Curtis.

Dick was born in Seminole, Oklahoma, on Sept. 4, 1930, the son of Neal, a carpenter, and Helen (Goss) Poe. He was the oldest of four children and suffered all the characteristics of being the first. He was mature, thoughtful, protective and loving. It made him a great Dad.

He graduated from Forrest City High School and attended Arkansas Tech University, majoring in architecture. The untimely and unexpected death of his father brought him back home to care for his family, and thoughts of a college education were postponed.

He married Ruth Stockton in 1952 and remained in love with her for 68 years. The one time in her life that her wedding band came off, washing dishes, he came home from work and put it back on her finger. He worked at Arkansas Power & Light until 1963, when they packed a few belongings and two kids in a Belair Chevrolet and moved to Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas. He received his degree in electrical engineering in 1966, and the family moved to Harrison, where he resumed his career with AP&L. In 1975, he was promoted and finished his career with Entergy in Little Rock in 1993. 

Upon retirement, Dick and Ruth moved back to Harrison, to the town that always felt like home. He played golf, traveled with Mom, and helped raise grandkids, the real joy of their life. As he evolved from being a parent to a grandparent, all of his notions of discipline and orderly conduct disappeared, becoming unnecessary. This was not the same man who raised his kids. It was fun to watch.

He served as an elder at the Northside Church of Christ for 14 years. He was a Shepherd in the truest sense of the word. He loved the people and was relentless in his encouragement to them to seek the Lord and to be servants. It’s who he was and what he did, and probably the finest, most important part of his life.

Dick was preceded in death by his brother, Charles Milton, and sister Maureen. His youngest sister, Lynn, lives in Oklahoma City. 

He is survived by his wife, Ruth, and his two children, Alisa (Dan) Davidson, of Searcy, and Richie (Becky) Poe, of Harrison; grandkids, Tim (Bethany) Davidson, Claire (Philip) Draper, Pete (Tabitha) Davidson, Ellie (Kevin) Jayne and Emma (Taylor) Gammon and … Samantha, Micah, Nate, Ezekiel, Miriam, Ella, Lucy and –almost but not quite — Millie.

We love him and honor him. Thank you, Dad.

Memorial contributions may be made to Children’s Home in Paragould, 5515 Walcott Road, Paragould, AR 72450.

Condolences may be left online at www.holtchapel.com . 



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