Deborah Jean Poe

Deborah Jean Poe of Waynesville, North Carolina and Tallahassee, Florida died January 27, 2017 in the arms of her mother Dr. Barbara Frye MacDonald. Debbie was born in Stamford, Connecticut and had the good fortune to live in a variety of eclectic destinations such as Villars, Switzerland; Kent, Connecticut; Longboat Key, Florida and Tallahassee, Florida. Debbie attended Florida State University and subsequently embarked on a career with the Florida Public Service Commission, State Attorney’s Office and Public Defender. After retiring from her career, Debbie pursued her dream of moving to the beautiful mountains of North Carolina to build her dream home near the town of Waynesville. Debbie’s passion in her life were her animals and she was an accomplished shower of Rottweilers throughout dog shows in the South. After retiring to North Carolina, Debbie displayed her passion for animals by devoting her time and energy to working for animal rescue shelters. Her love for animals is best exemplified by her trek to Hattiesburg, Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina where she and a team of rescuers saved many animals, one of whom Debbie adopted as her own and appropriately named her “Hattie”. When not caring for animals, Debbie was gifted in the art of stained glassmaking and was an accomplished gardener in her beloved greenhouse.

Debbie’s beautiful smile and loving nature endeared her to the many friends she made during her life and she will be dearly missed by her friends in North Carolina and Tallahassee. Her beautiful spirit and loving heart will never be forgotten and the memory of her spirit will always serve to uplift her loving and grateful family. Debbie was a shining example of what it means to be a daughter, sister and friend. She is survived by her mother Dr. Barbara Frye MacDonald; her sister Leslie Frye Allen and husband Tom Allen; her brothers Christopher Holley Poe; James Robert Poe and wife Stacy; Joshua Lane Poe and wife Marni; as well as five special nieces: Merina Allen, Grayal Allen, Reese Poe, Lane Poe, Kelsie Poe and cousin Holley Poe.

Debbie’s family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital for their support, especially Dr. Michael Forsthoefel and Dr. Tim Broeseker for their loving care.

A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. at Christ Presbyterian Church, 2317 Bannerman Road with a reception to follow the service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that friends make a donation to Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation (sargeanimals.org).