John Henry Pope was born to the late Georgia Kemp Pope on April 11, 1939 in Orrville, Alabama. He was educated in the Jefferson County schools and obtained an Associates degree in Communication in 1970 from Los Angeles Trade Technical School. Mr. Pope served in the US Army from 1960-1963. He was honorably discharged in San Francisco, CA and later moved to Los Angeles, CA. While in the Army, Mr. Pope developed a love for bowling. Following discharge, he developed and perfected his skills gaining the attention of the Professional Bowlers Association. Mr. Pope had a 12 year tenure with the Ford Motor Company. During his employment with Ford, he created the rear windshield wiper which was rejected by marketing and instituted 5 years later. Mr. Pope was never given recognition for this accomplishment and was a source of great disappointment. Mr. Pope retired from Matson Navigation (which later became Stevedore Terminals) following 22 years of perfect attendance. He was the first African American to hold the position of Senior Superintendent with the company. Mr. Pope married the former Lillian F. Perkins in 1965 and from that union was born a son, Darrell J. Pope. Following his retirement in 2001, Mr. Pope relocated to North Carolina to live with his son, Darrell and granddaughter, Halle. John confessed Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior at an early age and did his best to lead a Christian life. He was a devoted father, brother, uncle, grandfather, great grandfather and friend. He was a man of honor and character through the grace of Christ. He left this life to be with his Lord Jesus Christ on May 4, 2018 following a period of illness. In addition to his mother, Mr. Pope was preceded in death by his first wife, Lillian F. Pope; brothers: Daniel Rayford and Charles Pope; stepsons: Donald Ray Cooper and Frederick Douglas Cooper and sister-in-law, Della Rayford. John Henry Pope will forever be missed by his son: Darrell J. Pope; granddaughters: Britney S. Jackson and Halle M. Williams, her husband, Henry H. Williams, Jr.; grandson, Anthony J. Jackson and his fiance' Shakira Faison; great granddaughter, Hensley Grace Williams; great grandson, Isaiah Jackson; four sisters: Lizzie Mae Rayford, Anna Richardson-Weeks, Georgia Joyce Hall and her husband, Sylvester, and Mary Thomas; three brothers: Melvin Rayford, James Dixon an this wife Shirley, and Jimmy Dan Dixon; his former wife, Barbara Johnson; and sister-in-law, Ethel Rayford; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Funeral service will be held at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, May 30, 2018 in the chapel of Clark S. Brown & Sons Funeral Home. The family will visit with friends 30 minutes prior to the service in the chapel.

For a copy of the funeral program, click here