Marian Ruth Loften Poe, age 93, of Dubois

Marian Ruth Loften Poe, age 93, of Dubois, Indiana, passed away at 5:32 p.m. on Friday, May 13, 2022, at home surrounded by family.   

Marian was born on April 2, 1929, in Devil’s Lake, ND as Betty Jane Johnson.  She was adopted at birth by John and Olga Loften of Crary, ND and given the name Marian Ruth.  

Raised in a close Norwegian community, Marian only learned to speak English when she started school.  After graduating high school, Marian wanted to become a stewardess with Northwest Airlines.  Her mother refused to give her consent, so she became a telephone operator, eventually becoming chief operator.  It was in Devil’s Lake that she met her husband, John Poe of Dubois, IN, who was in ND on winter maneuvers with the US Army.  

It was love at first sight, and they married on May 13, 1953 in Crookston, MN prior to John’s deployment to Korea.  He preceded her in death on October 21, 2007.  While married to John, Marian fulfilled her dream of traveling.  They lived in Texarkana, Texas, Aberdeen, Maryland, Muenchweiler, Germany, Romulus, New York, Benghazi, Libya, Savannah, GA, and Kinston, NC.  They moved to Dubois in 1985 to the Teufel family home, where Marian became a member of St. Peter’s UCC, Dubois Homemaker’s Club, Dubois County Museum, and Dubois Co. Genealogy Association.  Marian was a Girl Scout leader for 15 years and later became a trainer, traveling coastal NC passing on her love of games, songs, and camp craft skills.  She was an avid IU basketball fam and gardener. 

With the help and devoted care of Heart-to-Heart Hospice, Marian passed peacefully at her Dubois home on what would have been her 69th wedding anniversary.  

She was preceded in death by her husband, John William Poe of Dubois, IN and her parents, John and Olga Jensen Loften of Crary, ND. 

She is survived by her children: Kathleen Ann Giusti (Rick) of Houston TX; John William Poe Jr. of Raleigh, NC; David Ross Poe (Peggy) of Cape Carteret, NC; and Barbara Ellen Graves (Neil) of Huntsville, AL.  Four grandchildren: Amanda Paige Graves Schmadeke (Ben) of Pittsboro, NC; Rachel Susan Poe of Raleigh, NC; Natalie Alice and Evan Ross Poe of Cape Carteret, NC.  Two great grandchildren: Dara Blossom Schmadeke and her yet to be born baby sister.  One cat, Tiki. 

A funeral service for Marian Ruth Loften Poe will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2022, at St. Peter’s United Church of Christ in Dubois, Indiana, with burial to follow in the church cemetery. 

A visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the 11:00 a.m. service time at the church on Saturday. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Dubois County Museum in Jasper, IN. 

Online condolences may be made at www.becherkluesner.com.