Pogue remembered for talent, generosity

Master sculptor Larry Pogue, who donated the sculpture “Marilyn Monroe” to the city of Bella Vista in December 2018, died in his sleep on March 23 at his home in Washington, Mo.

According to Terry Wilson of the Bella Vista Arts Council, Pogue was born April 6, 1942, and spent his childhood years in Anderson, Mo. He went on to earn his master’s degree in sculpture and printmaking. His career in teaching was extensive and he retired in 1997 as chairman of the art department of East Central College, Wilson said.

Wilson continued, “Pogue’s sculptures grace the grounds of many corporate and private institutions including General Motors, McDonnell Douglas, St. John’s Hospital, Consolidated Aluminum and Mercy Hospital. His sculptures may be found in collections from New York to California, as well as Germany, Switzerland, France and Scotland.”

Wilson said of the donation of Pogue’s “Marilyn Monroe” piece, “This piece of art represents not only his talent but his generosity as well.”

He also noted Pogue will be deeply missed by his family and his wife of 57 years, Suzon Pogue.

Jim Tandy of Bella Vista knew Pogue for 75 years, and they were close friends. They grew up together in Anderson, Mo., he said. He described Pogue as “a very, very big and likable fellow” with broad interests in art, sports, finance and travel.

He said while Pogue had humble beginnings, his talents took him far.

“Growing up in a small town like that, he had grown up to be a worldknown, U.S.-known sculptor,” he said. He added he donated a plaque in Pogue’s honor and one of his books to McDonald County High School in Anderson, Mo., in hopes that a student there would see it and be inspired to greatness as well.

Tandy said he and Pogue traveled together a lot in the U.S., visiting a number of art museums as well as non-art related destinations such as the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas.

“He was a big Cardinals fan,” he said. “We tried to go to a game every year. When he was growing up he was a good athlete — a top-notch hurdles runner, played on the basketball team and was a decent baseball player.”

Tandy said he has a lot of Pogue’s art in his home.

“I was always proud to tell everybody what a good sculptor he was,” he said.

In Pogue’s later life, Tandy said, he had a lot of sculptures that he was finished with or finishing and he began to give them away where he wanted them to go. The town of Washington, Mo., has several of his sculptures that were gifts, he said.

“He was wanting to share his work with whomever he could,” Tandy said.

In February 2019 when the “Marilyn Monroe” sculpture was about to be installed at the city offices, Pogue told The Weekly Vista, “Art has been so good to me that I want to share it with as many as I can.”

Tandy said, “He had a full life. He had a good family life, good kids, good grandkids. I knew his wife very, very well. He was a good and close friend too. I’ll miss him. I loved him.”