J.D. Pope

J.D. Pope was born May 27, 1928 to Oliver & Eunice Pope, southwest of Gate, OK on the family farm.

J.D. attended Gate School and transferred to Laverne Schools.  Before he graduated, he and a friend went to California to join the Army to fight in WWII. They arrived in California just as the war ended, so he missed graduating.  He stayed out in California and worked with an uncle for a little while but soon returned to Oklahoma.

After returning home to the panhandle, J.D. met the love of his life, Carolyn Strong of Beaver.  One fine evening while J.D. and some of his friends were at the picture show at the theater in Beaver, J.D. felt the rain of popcorn from behind him. In order to get his attention, Carolyn was tossing some of her buttered popcorn at the back of his head. It annoyed him so much, that he married her. And it lasted nearly 68 years.  They tied the knot on April 2, 1948.

They began married life in the basement of Carolyn’s parents. They later moved to the Baggerly Ranch south of Beaver, where J.D. worked as ranch hand. On August 13, 1949 they welcomed Gary Gene as their first son, and 2 years later on September 13, 1951 they welcomed a second son, Ronnie Dean.

His brother, Edgar, went out to Colorado where he worked in the Climax Mine. He reported back that he was making pretty good money so J.D., Carolyn and the two boys packed up and moved to Leadville, Colorado for a couple of years where he worked as a miner as well. The miners went on strike so that ended that adventure.

They moved back to the farm west of Laverne, where they raised their family and enjoyed the farm life.  J.D. had various off-of-the-farm jobs, delivering propane for Laverne Farmer’s Coop, worked for Bob Axtell Mining at the Silica Mine outside of Gate. After two consecutive years of having his wheat field hailed out he felt he better take another job. He went to work for Beaver County, District 1 and spent 10 years there driving trucks and was a road grader relief driver for Charlie Bowers. He REALLY enjoyed when he could be Farmer J.D. He put in many long hours, with his wife and sons, many times right there beside him. He also hired some local young men for farm hands when Gary and Ron were off to college. Some were:  Stan Walker, Mikel Hendrick, Dustin McAtee, and Dan Atwood. Those young men have always held a dear spot in the Pope family’s hearts. He had a sharp mechanic mind and could fix just about anything. He was a hard worker. To his delight, Gary moved back to the farm to raise a family. In working together, J.D. would put in a full day’s work at the County and come home and be ready to put in 6 more hours. Gary was ready to quit at five, but J.D. prodded him along. He especially loved having his grandchildren out helping him. The family farm saw many cattle, pigs, goats, chickens, guineas, peacocks, the list could go on. Getting the family together to work the cattle was such a happy time for J.D. and Carolyn. Lots of hard work, but just family working together then eating Carolyn’s big meal was always looked forward to.

J.D. and Carolyn were baptized in the Beaver River north of the farm in 1979, their faith and love of the Lord became the foundation of their life. They lived the example of Christianity.  J.D. and Carolyn enjoyed hosting many friend and church gatherings at their home, serving great food and having fun playing games and just loving the fellowship.

J.D. and Carolyn were instrumental in the beginnings of a new church, the Laverne Community Church. The church was near and dear to their heart, and they attended until they moved to Woodward in 2003. They built a brand new home, and they loved it, but every Sunday they returned to Laverne to go to church and brought out lunch to eat at their farmhouse.

J.D. and Carolyn moved into the Vici Nursing home in 2014 when Carolyn’s health began to fail due to diabetes and a stroke. He went with her, because they just couldn’t be separated. They stayed in the same room, and at any given time, you could walk in and there they would be in their side-by-side recliners holding hands. After Carolyn passed away, February 28, 2016, J.D. moved to Woodward to Providence Place. He enjoyed the home-like atmosphere, but was then able to move back to Laverne and live in Parkview Pointe to be closer to family. His health began to fail and needed more care so he returned to Vici Nursing Home, where he received great care and loving attention from the staff. Nurse Rachel made him feel so special and even after his passing, treated him so lovingly.

After losing Carolyn, J.D. really began to feel he had fulfilled his purpose on Earth and was ready to leave this world to be reunited with his love, his Carolyn.

J.D. departed this life on, Friday, February 23, 2018, in the Vici Nursing Home.

J.D. was preceded in death by his parents and his youngest brother and his wife, Donald and Peggy Pope.  J.D. leaves as his survivors, sons, Gary and wife Mary Jane, of Laverne, Ronnie and wife Debbie, of Tulsa, nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, brother, Edgar Pope and wife, Dee, of Oklahoma City, many cousins, nieces and nephews and innumerable friends.