Obituary for Emma Lou Poe
Emma Lou Poe, 88, of Canton, died peacefully on April 28, 2020 due to complications from Alzheimer’s Disease.
The daughter of the late A.J. Shumaker and Marie Martin, Emmy was born August 12, 1931. She grew up in Canton and attended Canton High School, Class of 1949. She loved to sing and was a sought after soloist for weddings and various meetings and events during her teen years. She papered and painted home interiors with her dad in his business, and later worked at Walters’s Florist until she married James E. Poe on December 18, 1950, in Evanston, IL.
Emmy and Jim lived in Evanston and Wilmette, IL, where they raised their two children. Emmy was active in a variety of organizations, including the Evanston Women’s Club and Planned Parenthood. She was active in their church and sang in the choir. She later worked at Saville’s Flowers in Wilmette until she and Jim relocated to Canton in 1983. In Canton, they took great pleasure in renovating a house left to them by Jim’s uncle that had been home to three generations of his family. They settled there for many happy years together, until Jim’s death in 2013. Emmy worked a Knepp’s Clothing on the Square until it closed. She was active in both the Altruistic Club of Canton and PEO. After Jim died, Emmy attended Wesley Methodist Church and became a member there for a short time.
In addition to her devotion to Jim, Emmy’s great loves were people, flowers, and fashion. Just as she cultivated her beloved gardens, she cultivated her friendships and always had an ear to listen. She took great pride in her home, and loved to make delicious food for her family and friends. She and Jim enjoyed entertaining. She was cheerful, warm and outgoing, always interested in people and their lives.
In Canton, she is survived by her sister, June Walljasper, along with many nieces, nephews and cousins. She is also survived by her daughter Jerielle Young and her wife, Wendy Walsh, of Brunswick, Maine; and her son Martin Poe and his wife, Rosanne Poe, of Burlington, Wisconsin. Emmy’s granddaughter Aislinn lives in Milwaukee, and her granddaughter Julianna lives in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin with her partner Brandon Drohner.
The family extends their deep gratitude and appreciation to Shawna Smith, RN and her staff at Red Oak Estates for the kind, skilled personal care Emmy received from them in the last 18 months of her life. Her Compassus Hospice team augmented her care in ways that were invaluable in the past 6 months. Our gratitude for their multifaceted support is beyond measure.
Given the current Coronavirus pandemic, plans for a celebration of her life will be shared at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made in Emmy’s name to the Altruistic Club of Canton, and sent in care of her daughter, Jerielle Young, 941 Mere Point Road, Brunswick, ME 04011.
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The daughter of the late A.J. Shumaker and Marie Martin, Emmy was born August 12, 1931. She grew up in Canton and attended Canton High School, Class of 1949. She loved to sing and was a sought after soloist for weddings and various meetings and events during her teen years. She papered and painted home interiors with her dad in his business, and later worked at Walters’s Florist until she married James E. Poe on December 18, 1950, in Evanston, IL.
Emmy and Jim lived in Evanston and Wilmette, IL, where they raised their two children. Emmy was active in a variety of organizations, including the Evanston Women’s Club and Planned Parenthood. She was active in their church and sang in the choir. She later worked at Saville’s Flowers in Wilmette until she and Jim relocated to Canton in 1983. In Canton, they took great pleasure in renovating a house left to them by Jim’s uncle that had been home to three generations of his family. They settled there for many happy years together, until Jim’s death in 2013. Emmy worked a Knepp’s Clothing on the Square until it closed. She was active in both the Altruistic Club of Canton and PEO. After Jim died, Emmy attended Wesley Methodist Church and became a member there for a short time.
In addition to her devotion to Jim, Emmy’s great loves were people, flowers, and fashion. Just as she cultivated her beloved gardens, she cultivated her friendships and always had an ear to listen. She took great pride in her home, and loved to make delicious food for her family and friends. She and Jim enjoyed entertaining. She was cheerful, warm and outgoing, always interested in people and their lives.
In Canton, she is survived by her sister, June Walljasper, along with many nieces, nephews and cousins. She is also survived by her daughter Jerielle Young and her wife, Wendy Walsh, of Brunswick, Maine; and her son Martin Poe and his wife, Rosanne Poe, of Burlington, Wisconsin. Emmy’s granddaughter Aislinn lives in Milwaukee, and her granddaughter Julianna lives in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin with her partner Brandon Drohner.
The family extends their deep gratitude and appreciation to Shawna Smith, RN and her staff at Red Oak Estates for the kind, skilled personal care Emmy received from them in the last 18 months of her life. Her Compassus Hospice team augmented her care in ways that were invaluable in the past 6 months. Our gratitude for their multifaceted support is beyond measure.
Given the current Coronavirus pandemic, plans for a celebration of her life will be shared at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made in Emmy’s name to the Altruistic Club of Canton, and sent in care of her daughter, Jerielle Young, 941 Mere Point Road, Brunswick, ME 04011.
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