By Matt Smith/msmith@trcle.com
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Johnson County Sheriff’s Office detective David Blankenship expressed gratitude and pride for the county employees, members of the community and law enforcement officers who pitched in to help and support the wife of a recently deceased deputy.
Donations collected from several sources paid for the funeral expenses of James Pogue with enough left over to help Pogue’s wife, Donna Pogue, get back on her feet, Blankenship said.
Pogue, 58, passed away unexpectedly on July 20.
Just two month’s before Pogue’s death, Donna Pogue had been on life support and was not expected to survive. She pulled through, only to lose her husband a short time later.
Pogue worked for JCSO from 1990 to 2003, when he retired for health reasons. Pogue first worked in the jail then later worked as a bailiff in the Johnson County Courthouse.
Donna also worked a number of years as a county employee.
Given Donna’s health issues, Pogue had been the only bread winner in the family in recent years. A situation that left Donna not only grieving over the loss of her husband so soon after her own medical emergency, but also worrying about her financial situation.
Blankenship and his partner, Det. Brian Peterson, began discussing ways to help Donna. Once word got out, Blankenship said, donations started coming in.
“My mother knew the family, so that’s how I heard about it,” Blankenship said. “So, we went to others to try and raise some money, and I can’t tell you how awesome everyone in Johnson County was with support and donations. Some gave $10. Some, who could afford it, gave $100.”
Numerous JCSO employees and other county employees chipped in, Blankenship said.
“The husband of one of our detectives works at Burleson [Police Department] and was discussing it there,” Blankenship said.
Soon enough, the Burleson Police Officer’s Association donated $500 to the cause.
The Cleburne Police Officer’s Association joined in as well, donating $250.
“Blankenship called us about it,” said Shane Wickson, CPOA president. “So, we were totally in. Everyone agreed that we should kick in to see what we could do to help the family. Most of the money we [CPOA] take in goes for things like this. Johnson County is a big community and often an officer, or their family, needs a little help.”
The initial goal, Blankenship said, was to help defray Pogue’s funeral expenses, which totaled $2,133.
“We far exceeded our hopes,” Blankenship said.
Blankenship said he subsequently learned that the funeral expenses had been further paid down thanks to a number of people who went straight to the funeral home to pay.
“The day before I was to pay off the funeral expenses, I received a call from the Rio Vista Methodist Church, where James’ mother, Laura Pogue, attends,” Blankenship said. “The church wanted to help by paying $900 toward the funeral expenses.”
Thanks to the generosity of donors, Blankenship and Peterson were able to pay funeral expenses and give Donna $2,282.
Donna sent a message to Blankenship thanking everyone for their support and prayers.
“Words cannot express how much I appreciate all the donations that were so generously given,” Pogue said in her letter. “It means the world to me that you all thought so much of James. He would be so proud to know that I was helped in such a big way. May God bless each and everyone of you, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Blankenship said it warms his heart to be part of a community where so many are eager to jump in and help out.
“Everyone was truly amazing with their prayers and donations,” Blankenship said. “Their kindness will not be forgotten.”
