Billy J. Pogue, age 91 of Lake, Michigan died Saturday, December 18, 2021 in Midland, Michigan. He was born September 29, 1930 in Stella, Missouri, the son of Patrick and Jessie (Anderson) Pogue. Bill was a longtime resident of Mesa, Arizona and the Apache Junction, Arizona area. He lived there for nearly 80 years before moving to Michigan in 2017 to be with family.
He was an amateur miner, who enjoyed hunting for volcanic rock and gold. Bill was multi-talented; he played several instruments and could build just about anything. He was also known for his ability to find what was wrong with a vehicle and fix the problem. He loved to build remote control airplanes and would fly them with his brother, Wincel Pogue and nephews, Jim and David Pogue at a homemade airstrip behind Wincel’s home east of Mesa. Bill loved to paint western scenes and landscapes and he never let the truth stand in his way of telling a good story.
He is survived by his daughters, Jean Pogue of Lake, Michigan, Melody Pogue of Cadillac, Michigan; ex-wife, Maxine Rhoads of Cadillac, Michigan; grandchildren, Gabriel (Jaime) Doherty of Manton, Michigan; Katrina (Femi) Kolawole of Minnesota, and Amanda (Glen) Succaw of Cadillac, Michigan; great-grandchildren, Joslyn, Piper, and William Doherty; and many nieces and nephews. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, and four siblings, Glenn Pogue, Wincel Pogue, Opal Epps, and Joyce Franks.
Bill was laid to rest in Mountain View Cemetery in Mesa, Arizona.