Eloise Johnson Poe

Eloise Smith Johnson Poe, long-time resident of Asheboro, was born April 19, 1919, and passed away peacefully in Asheboro, on Sunday, March 23, 2014, at the age of 94, after a long, happy, and productive life. Mrs. Poe spent her early life in Kipling and Bailey, North Carolina, before moving to Greensboro, where she attended college at Woman's College of the University of North Carolina (now, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro). She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1940. Mrs. Poe, known to all of her friends as Eloise, taught business in the North Carolina public schools for several years. She moved to Asheboro with her first husband, the late William S. Johnson, and her two daughters in 1956, and remained a resident and active citizen until her death. After a successful career, Eloise retired as a supervisor of the local office of the Employment Security Commission of North Carolina. Eloise was a trailblazer in many ways. She was a very active member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, where she was elected in the 1960s as the first woman to serve on the church's vestry, or governing body. Eloise was also the first recipient of the Eloise Poe Docent of the Year Award at the North Carolina Zoo, where she was also a lifetime member. Eloise enjoyed watching the development of The Senior Adult Center of Asheboro, and in 1983 she was chosen as the Senior Citizen of the Year by the Asheboro Jaycettes. During the 1980s, she also served on the board of directors for the Randolph County Senior Adult Association. Eloise was active in her two bridge clubs for a number of years, and was a big sports lover. As a girl, she preferred to play baseball with the boys rather than stay inside with the girls. Eloise played basketball in high school, and during her years as a teacher, she coached basketball. She continued to enjoy watching both basketball and baseball throughout her life. Eloise was smart and quick-witted, and she enjoyed making people laugh. She was a very kind and loving person and was well-beloved by her family and many friends. An avid gardener, Eloise took delight in the world about her, and greatly enjoyed camping in the North Carolina mountains with her daughters and her first husband Bill. After Bill's death, she enjoyed traveling in later years with her second husband, the late Lee H. Poe, particularly in the western United States, Mexico, Florida, and Europe. Eloise is preceded in death by her mother and father, Iva Farmer and Lexie Turner Smith, her sisters Wilhelmina Samuel and Evelyn Smith, both of Greensboro, her first husband William S. Johnson, and her second husband Lee H. Poe. She is survived by her daughters, Dr. Helen Johnson Rogers and husband David of Durham, Mrs. Margaret Stanyarne Johnson Bell and husband A. Fleming of Asheboro; grandchildren, Cinnamon Rogers, Ariel Rogers, Django T. Rogers, Adeline Noger, Rachel Arrah Bell, Susannan Bell, Lucretia A. Bell; two step-grandchildren and seven step-great grandchildren. The funeral will take place on Thursday, March 27th at 11:00 a.m. at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 505 Mountain Road, Asheboro, North Carolina, 27205, with a visitation/reception following in the church parish hall. Burial will be in the family plot in Greensboro. Per Eloise's request, the family prefers that any flowers given be of the potted variety. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Eloise's memory to The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd or to the Make-a-Wish Foundation Of Central & Western NC, 1131 Harding Place, Charlotte, NC 28204. If Eloise could be at her own funeral, she would putting people at ease, joking and making them laugh. Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro is serving the Poe family.