VIRGIL POE
June 28, 1926 - July 1, 2022
Virgil (Pops) Poe June 28, 1926 - July 1, 2022
Virgil (Pops) Poe, 96, of Houston, Texas, passed away Friday, July 1, 2022, surrounded by his loving family. Virgil was an only child born to Loyd and Elsie Poe in Mansfield, Arkansas on June 28, 1926. He grew up in Aurora, Missouri, and Portsmouth, Iowa, where his father was a banker. Virgil played the trumpet and drums at Harlan High School and was voted “wisest” in his graduating class. The day after he turned 18 yrs. old, he received his induction papers to report for duty in the U.S. Army. He was sent overseas in the fall of 1944 and served in Belgium, Germany, and France during World War II. He attained the rank of Tech Sergeant. He later was stationed in Ft. Hood and met Dorrace Hill at an evening worship service at the Church of Christ in Temple. They married in 1946 and were married for 73 years.
After their marriage, Virgil and Dorrace moved to Harlan, Iowa, where he bought a DX service station. He later decided to go to college at Abilene Christian College in Abilene, Texas. He received his bachelor’s degree in physics and math with a minor in Bible. While he was in college in Abilene, he was hired by Southwestern Bell Telephone Company and began climbing poles and installing telephones. The family moved to Dallas, Texas, and he began working as an electrical engineer for the telephone company, where he worked for over 40 years. He was transferred back and forth to Houston and
St. Louis several times. He worked on his master’s degree at Washington University in St. Louis and spoke on behalf of Bell Labs to many organizations throughout the years to show the latest advances in laser and communication technology. When he was in college, he began preaching to Church of Christ congregations who didn’t have fulltime ministers. He continued this practice for many years. Virgil was a faithful member of the Memorial Church of Christ, since 1959. He was an elder and taught many Bible classes throughout the years. He enjoyed playing the guitar, traveling all over the world with Dorrace, being with his family, and studying the Bible.
Virgil is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Dorrace, and his parents, Loyd and Elsie Poe. He is survived by his daughter, Jayne Poe Massey, of Jersey Village, Texas; son, former Congressman Ted Poe and wife, Carol; eight grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren.
A private family graveside committal service will be in Temple, Texas at Hillcrest Cemetery. A public celebration of his life will be at the Memorial Church of Christ, Houston, Texas, on Saturday, July 23, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. with visitation at 10:00. In Lieu of Flowers, memorial donations can be made in Mr. Poe’s name to African Christian College, P.0.B. 80036, Austin, TX 78708.