Dale Edmond Poag

Dale Poag

Dale Edmond Poag, 60, of Manila died late Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009, at The Med in Memphis. Born at Blytheville, he was the son of the late Charles Hughes Poag and was raised in the Milligan Ridge Community. He was a lifelong Manila area resident, a 1966 graduate of Manila High School and received a bachelor's degree in vocational agriculture from Arkansas State University in 1970.

Dale served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1970 until 1976 and later earned a master's degree in school administration. He was the vocational agriculture instructor at Manila High School from 1972 until 2009.

He supervised many student activities including the annual Lions Club Chili Cook-Off, the Mid-South Fair Children's Barnyard exhibit, the FFA Alumni Banquet and Auction, Christmas nursing home visits, FFA conventions, and many fundraisers for various causes.

He was a member and past-president of the Arkansas Vocational Agricultural Teachers Association and FFA Advisory Board. He was also a member of the Phi Delta Kappa educators society, Delta Tau Alpha honorary agricultural fraternity and the Alpha Tau Alpha Teachers' Fraternity. He was the founding president of the Arkansas State University Chapter of the Alpha Gamma Rho agricultural fraternity. Dale was a member, Sunday School teacher and ordained deacon at the Manila First Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Paula Bowden Poag of the home; two sons, Paul Scott Poag and his fiancee Rachel Taylor, and Richard Bowden and his wife, Sarah, all of Jonesboro; a daughter and son-in-law, Tina and Matthew McMechen of Marion; two grandchildren, Vivian Jane and Harrison Dale McMechen; his mother, Jewell Rowlett Poag of Waynesboro, Tenn.; a sister, Melba Duncan of Waynesboro, Tenn.

The funeral was held at 2 p.m. Friday at the First Baptist Church in Manila with Rev. Ferrel Duffel, Rev. Waymon Holt, and Rev. Jim Fowler officiating. Burial was in the Manila Cemetery under the direction of Howard Funeral Service.

The family received visitors Thursday evening from 6-8 at the church.

Pallbearers were Ray Benson, Tony Crowell, Loy Jackson, Thomas Jaco, Frank Kirby, Randy Veach, Bobby Walton and Donnie Wagner. Honorary pallbearers were Bobby Ashabranner, Terry Byrd, Craig Costner, Judy Mace, Ernie Malloy, Bennie Minton, Terry Ramsey, Ben Rutherford, Dr. Tommy Wagner, Wayne Wagner, Dwight Whittenburg, and the Men's Sunday School Class and Deacons of the First Baptist Church.

The family prefers any memorials be made to the Manila FFA Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.

To sign the guest register log on to howardfuneralservice.com.