Bettie Jean Buckner Pogue, 90, died Thursday, September 14, 2023, at Poplar Estates Memory Unit after battling Dementia and late onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Public graveside services will be conducted at 2:30 pm on Monday, September 18, 2023, at the Worley Cemetery in Cathey’s Creek, Tennessee with Greg Lusk officiating. Oakes & Nichols Funeral Directors are assisting the family with the arrangements.
Born on November 26, 1932, in Columbus, Georgia, she was the daughter of the late Andrew and Verona Buckner. She is preceded in death by her husband, Douglas Pogue, who she met and dated while he was stationed in Ft. Benning, Georgia. After they married in March of 1953, the couple returned to Columbia, Tennessee and remained devoted to each other until his death in 1989. Bettie is also preceded in death by her daughter, Melanie Pogue Semore, her brother, AJ Buckner, sisters-in-law, Judith Pogue King and Bettie Buckner, and brothers-in-law, Art Oggenfuss and Wayne White.
Bettie is survived by her children: Kit(Cyndi) Pogue of Cookeville, Andy(Lisa) Pogue of Columbia, Robert(Sherry) Pogue of Columbia, Rebecca(Joe) Galloway of Memphis and her grandchildren:
Drew(Joy) Pogue, Patrick(Brie) Pogue, Kittrell Pogue, Cannon(Abbie) Pogue, Steven(Nicole)
Pogue, Will Pogue, Susan(Austin) Pogue Winchester, Emma(Michael) Galloway Jansen,
Kate(Sam) Galloway Rikard, and great grandchildren: Greyson Pogue, Madison Pogue, Arthur
Pogue, Melanie Rikard, and Shiloh Winchester. She is also survived by her son-in-law, Michael Semore, her sister, Barbara Oggenfuss of Delaware, sister-in-law, Carnice White, and brotherin-law, Porter King and many nieces and nephews.
Bettie graduated with an associate degree from Andrew College in Georgia. She worked as a switch board operator as a young graduate. She worked at a local radio station upon arriving in Columbia as a newlywed. She worked many years with the kindergarten programs at McDowell
Elementary and Columbia Academy. Bettie taught Sunday School for many years at Eastside Church of Christ where she and Doug raised their family. She was a member of West Seventh Street Church of Christ.
Bettie will be remembered for her quiet ways, her sewing abilities, her artistic talents, her love of children, her “church babies”, and her beautiful Southern Georgian accent.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
