Mary Frank Gragg Poe
October 29, 1936 - March 16, 2025
Fayetteville, North Carolina – Mary Frank Gragg Poe, 88, went to be with her Lord on March 16, 2025 while residing at Autumn Care of Fayetteville.
Born in Iredell County, North Carolina and raised in Boone, North Carolina, she was the daughter of the late Jack Allen Gragg and Mary Lea White Gragg. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Robert Allen Poe; her parents and brothers, Robert J. Gragg and William L. Gragg; and her eldest son, Stephen Vann Poe.
Mary Frank graduated from Appalachian High School, Appalachian State Teachers College, and Appalachian State University. She was a teacher at Appalachian State University and Watauga High School. While on faculty at ASU, she taught foods and nutrition, early childhood education courses, and supervised student teachers in the home economics department. While teaching at Watauga High School, she co-taught the first home economics class for boys and later became the first director of the WHS Job Placement Center.
A strong Christian, she lived her faith and was a faithful and active member of the Alliance Bible Fellowship of Boone from its inception. She delighted in cooking for family and friends, entertaining, and sharing her favorite recipes. She loved playing cards and other table games, and found joy in listening to gospel music, and Christian radio broadcasts by Dr. Charles Stanley and Dr. David Jeremiah. A passionate reader, she often found solace and inspiration in the pages of a good book. She loved traveling with family and friends. Beach trips to Oak Island, North Carolina, and Dollywood were favorite destinations. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend.
She is survived by her daughter, Mari Lesniak and husband, Mirosław; son, Robert Bradley Poe; daughter-in-law, Denise Miller Poe (widow of Stephen); grandchildren, Stephanie Poe Durham and husband, Robert, Christopher Poe and wife, Elizabeth, Brittney Poe Berry and husband, Jordan, and Lela Lesniak; great-grandchildren, Catherine and Benjamin Durham, Elise and Jacob Poe, and Stephen Berry; sisters-in-law, Judy Gragg and Roslyn Gragg; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, June 14, 2025 at 2 p.m. at Alliance Bible Fellowship, 1035 N.C. Hwy. 105 Bypass, Boone, N.C., with Pastor Scott Andrews officiating.
*All obituaries are submitted by family and friends of the deceased.
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