Pocahontas Whitaker Bidgood

Pocahontas Whitaker "Hontas" Bidgood of Charlotte, NC died on March 2, 2026. She was born October 22, 1928, in Kinston, NC, the daughter of the late Dr. Paul F. Whitaker and Pocahontas L. Whitaker. She was predeceased by her husband B. Carrington Bidgood of Danville, VA, her sister Harriet Whitaker Howard of Kinston, and her sister Paula Whitaker Calhoun of Charlotte.

Mrs. Bidgood was born and raised in Kinston and was a graduate of St. Mary's School in Raleigh and Hollins University in Roanoke. Throughout her life she was involved in numerous civic organizations, church, and school activities including being a member and President of the Junior League, a member of the Colonial Dames and a member of Christ Episcopal Church.

She loved the outdoors, flower arranging and spending hours tending her gardens, including most recently the community gardens at Southminster retirement center in Charlotte. She loved people and made countless friends in Kinston and eastern North Carolina, Chattanooga, Danville, and Charlotte. And people loved her back. Her children constantly had people stop to say "I love your Mom. I mean I really love your Mom." Her enthusiasm, sense of humor and sincere interest in others permeated every interaction uplifting those she encountered. She especially enjoyed her later-in life relationships with the staff and residents of Southminster.

She valued her family above all else and was happiest when they gathered together, whether during the parenting years with her best friend sisters Harriet and Paula and their families several weeks each summer in Morehead City, NC; during her regular visits to see children and grandchildren in Nashville and Charlotte; or while she hosted grandchildren as part of her homemade "Camp Birnham Wood" at her residence in Danville. Grandchildren would say about "Gay" (her Grand-mother name from "Gay Momma"): "she made everything so magical"; "you could never think a negative thing about her;" "she accepted people where they were;" and "may we all live life with more Gay in it."

She had a deep abiding faith, and she lived it each day inspiring others with her kind and caring way.

Surviving Mrs. Bidgood are her three children Honey Doramus of Nashville, Wes Brown of Knoxville, and Jeff Brown of Charlotte, and their spouses Jim, Karen and Cantey. She is survived by six grandchildren, Hontas Lowrance (Fred) of Nashville, Jamie Chenery (Taylor) of Nashville, Kiely Brown of Chattanooga, Sutton Al Qasimi (Faisal) of Brooklyn, NY, Whitaker Brown (Molly) of Charlotte, and Wesley Brown of Arlington, VA, and by her eight great grandchildren, Mac Lowrance, Lula Lowrance, Hattie Lowrance, James Chenery, Levi Chenery, Wesley Chenery, Mira Al Qasimi and Faris Al Qasimi. She is also survived by her four stepchildren Kirk Bidgood of Danville, Taylor Randolph (Bill) of Charlottesville, Henley Cleary (Jerry) of Dunwoody, GA, and Berkeley Bidgood (Lori) of Danville as well as her nine step grandchildren Ruth, Robert, Charles, Kirk, Erin, Warren, Ashley, Bethany, and Mary and 6 step great grandchildren.

The family would like to thank the staff at Southminster, the caregivers of Eloquent Care, and the VIA Health Hospice providers for their support, care and friendship.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, March 6, 2026 at Southminster Retirement Center, 8919 Park Road in Charlotte. The family will receive friends at Southminster following the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Christ Episcopal Church, 112 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28207 or Southminster Foundation, 8919 Park Rd Charlotte, NC 28210.