Gary Wayne Poe

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Gary Wayne Poe, 73, musician, entertainer, and resident of Columbia, died Saturday, September 30, 2023, at Maury Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 3:00 P.M. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Reverend Jeff Kane officiating. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Thursday from 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. and Friday from 2:00 P.M. until service time at the funeral home.

Born September 16, 1950, in Maury County, he was the son of the late Pleasant William “Billy” Poe and the late Christine Bennett Poe. He was a 1968 graduate of Columbia Central High School, earned his Associate’s degree from Columbia State, and a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University Tennessee at Knoxville. For over 30 years Gary lived in Dallas, Texas and worked in computer software and the music entertainment business. He moved back to Columbia in 2020. He loved music and could play any music by either note or by ear. Mr. Poe loved gospel music but also enjoyed jazz, classical, ragtime, and popular music. If he heard it, he could play it. He enjoyed playing for weddings, parties, and at retirement homes. He grew up attending Blue Springs Free Will Baptist Church.

Survivors include his sister, Deborah (Gilbert) Demastus of Lynnville; nephews and niece, Harry Gilbert “Skipper” (Heather) Demastus, III of Lynnville; Patrick (Sandra) Demastus of Columbia; Kenneth (Jennifer) Demastus of Lynnville; Kristen Demastus of Greenville, South Carolina; nine great nieces and nephews; and aunts, Polly (Doris) Watson of Columbia; Nina Poe Moore of Camano Island, Washington; and Carolyn Bennett of Columbia.

Active pallbearers will be Skipper Demastus, Patrick Demastus, Kenneth Demastus, Kristen Demastus, Hayden Demastus, Gus Demastus and Bryson Whaley. Honorary pallbearers include nurses and techs at NHC Maury Regional Transitional Care, employees of Compassus Hospice and all his many good friends in Texas.

The family suggests memorials to Lewy Body Dementia Association, Inc., 912 Killian Hill Road S.W., Lilburn, GA 30047 or www.lbda.org. Condolences may be extended online at www.oakesandnichols.com.