Dalton Poole

Dalton Clifton Poole, 2nd son of Nath and Thelma Poole, was born on April 23, 1931 and was 89 years old when he passed away on August 28, 2020.  Nine children grew up together in his family in North Carolina: Hugh, Dalton, Jimmy, Wayne, Josephine, Betty, Hubert, Vernon & Elgie.

When Dalton was about 9 years old, he began working: plowing, milking, selling vegetables and working at a sawmill.  The money he made on these jobs belonged to his father.  He was not allowed to go to school if his dad needed him to work.  When Dalton was in the eighth grade, his recitation of the Preamble to the Constitution at a school event won him a Declamation medal.  While still in school, he walked a mile alone on Sundays to the Baptist Church.  He became a Christian and was baptized. 

After the 8th grade, he quit school and became a grocery delivery boy.  A returning soldier from WWII claimed this job, so Dalton joined the Army.  He spent 10 months in Japan and Korea and was decorated with three Bronze Stars for bravery, the United Nations Service Medal (Korea), the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Army of Occupation Medal (Japan). 

During his service, Dalton was stationed at Fort Hood and attended the Baptist Church in Belton, Texas, with some of his friends.  There he met his future wife JoAnn Sterling in October 1952. Dalton and JoAnn were married in May 1953.

The new GI Bill gave young men a chance to enter college and Dalton took the opportunity to attend Mary Hardin Baylor College in Belton with his new wife, then North Texas State in Denton and Mississippi College in Clinton, MS where he graduated with a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education.  He taught school in North Carolina, Texas and Colorado and received his Master’s Degree in Education by taking summer school classes.  In 1963, he received a Specialist Degree from the University of Northern Colorado.  He taught elementary school for a total of 16 years and served as principal for 4 years.

After teaching, he went on to become licensed as a real estate broker and owned a home repair company.  But his favorite work was learning to make hand-thrown stoneware pottery from his son.  He was a studio potter for 25 years and his pottery pieces are in many homes throughout the western and southern United States.

Dalton had two sons, Don & Jan Poole and Dean & Rebecca Poole.  He has 7 grandchildren (Amber, Jessica, Kendra, Michael, Nathan, Noah and Liam) and 5 great-grandchildren (Eden, Avalon, Nova, Riven and Veda). He is preceded in death by his parents, his son Don and six of his brothers and sisters: Hugh, Jimmy, Wayne, Vernon, Betty & Elgie.

Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, September 1, 2020 at Cooper Funeral Home.  Casket will remain closed.  Graveside Service will be 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 2, 2020 at with Pastor Tony Peak, Tecumseh First Baptist Church officiating under the direction of Cooper Funeral Home of Tecumseh.  Please join the celebration of Dalton’s life through Cooper Funeral Home’s Facebook page for live streaming of the service.