OBITUARY

This morning, as I sat with a second cup of coffee and the newspaper, expecting a quiet half hour before resuming my morning tasks, my telephone rang. It was Mary Purcell, a former member of Georgia Writers Association and a long time friend of Jeannie Sutton Hogue. She called to tell me that Jeannie has passed away.

Following is a combination of her official obituary interspersed with some personal comments from me.

Jeannie Sutton Hogue, 55, of Gordon, Georgia passed away early Wednesday morning in a Milledgeville, Georgia hospital. Daughter of the late James Thomas & Geneva Reynolds Sutton, she was a native of Albany but had made her home in Wilkinson County most of her adult life.

She was a writer of mystery novels and had two published books to her credit; One Hell of a Mystery and Kudzu Murders: A Jesse Statham Mystery. She was a past President of the Georgia Writer's Association.

Jeannie was an unusual, even remarkable woman. Unique in attitude, bearing and speech, her comments were frequently surprising and most often quite funny. She had many health problems which caused her to curtail her activites but nothing stopped her pen. Plus, Jeannie was an avid reader and a lover of animals.

A number of years ago when I went to visit her, she had a surprise waiting for me... a nearly wild but loving "snowshoe" (part Siamese) kitten who I named Miss YumYum. As I prepared to leave, we put the kitten into a large box so that I could comfortably make the drive back to Atlanta.

As fate would have it, driving the country roads from Gordon on my way home, there in the road I saw a small black puppy which I rescued from certain death. Before I resumed my drive I stopped at a couple of the rural houses, inquiring if anyone knew who owned this round and wiggling black ball of tongue and fur. No one claimed her and so, christening her "Road Kill", "Rodi" for short, I went home.

As Rodi grew my husband, who did not want a dog in the first place, became unhappy. She would scratch at the door of the deck trying to get into the house and eventually her claws damaged the door. Finally, he put his foot down and asked me to find Rodi a new home.

I called Jeannie, whose amenable husband and country residence offered ample room and safety for what was becoming a big dog. So, Jeannie gave me Miss YumYum (who passed away last September) and I gave her Rodi, who I believe is still a happy country dog.

Jeannie is survived by her loving husband, to whom she was deeply devoted: John E. Hogue, III of Gordon, Georgia and her brothers: James R. (Judy) Sutton and Scott Anthony (Cathy) Sutton of Macon; her sister: Brenda (Wayne) Bishop of Macon, and her Mother-in-law: Mrs. Wally Hogue of Gordon. Jeannie also left ten Nieces & Nephews and many saddened friends. You'll be missed, Jeannie. We all loved you.

Poets, Witches and Writers

As it might be imagined from the title of this blog, some of my favorite people are Poets. Among those favorite souls are also Witches and other Writers.

Last weekend I was an invited guest at the Harriette Austin Writers Conference, at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. Held in the Georgia Center and sponsored by the Continuing Education Department, after a one year hiatus, it was the 14th year of this remarkably successful conference. There were eager writers and poets everywhere!

I had the great pleasure of greeting old friends and making some new ones. In the old friends department was, of course, the lovely and gracious Harriette, herself I was sorry to see that in the announcements there was no mention of the fact that she was the Lifetime Achievement Award winner at the 39th Annual Georgia author of the Year Awards. I believe the page is still up regardless of the fact that the website is undergoing radical changes.

Then there was the talented author of diverse genres and most excellent Southern gentleman, Hawk McKinney, who I hope will join us by presenting a Webinar some time soon; the prodigious and marvelous Terry Kay; the often controversial Bill Bray and his friend (and mine) Bowen Craig, who helps me move plants twice each year at the change of the seasons and who likes to tell people that he's my sometime houseboy; Chris Roerden, author of Don't Murder Your Mystery with whom I exchanged the "I'm older than you are" conversation (I won) as we sat together at lunch one day. My dear friend and "blood buddy" (we donate blood together), author of the Biscuit McKee cozy mystery series, Fran Stewart participated in an Author/Agent panel, after which I fled for home, being too exhausted to stay for the big dinner.

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Lydia Crabtree, a real live Witch who is very unwitchlike. An author and teacher of pagan ways, I look forward to getting to know her better. See her own blog report on the conference.

I sat in on several of the workshops, mostly looking for future Webinar presenters and have two that I'm sure I'll be announcing soon: Bobby Nash on Graphic Novels and Peter Reinhart on Writing Cookbooks.

More later...