Virginia Pope

Our world was blessed with Virginia when she was born the first daughter of Ernest Oden and Mable Fields Oden, in Jefferson County, AL on December 4, 1927, where her early years were spent. After the family moved to Library PA, she was raised by her mother and stepfather, Julius Pitts.

 She peacefully entered the presence of God on October 28, 2019.

Virginia received her education in the Snowden Township School District. She married her childhood sweetheart, and the love her life, Louis Pope("Lou") in 1946. They remained happily married for 52 years.

As a youth, Virginia accepted Christ as her personal Savior and was baptized at the Mt. Zion Baptist Church by Pastor Hodge. Even at a young age she and her sister Gracie became active members of the church. She worked as a teacher for the Snowden Township School District for many years where she enjoyed meeting and interacting with students and teachers.

At Mt. Zion she was active in the Sunday School and choir as well as the Young Adult Ministry,  where some of her life-long friendships were formed. She remained at Mt. Zion until she became first lady of First Baptist Church, Gallatin, PA, then at First Baptist Church in St. Clairsville, Ohio where her husband accepted pastorates.

They moved to Myrtle Beach, SC where she and Rev. Pope became active members of Salem Baptist Church. Shortly after the death of her husband, Virginia moved to Murrells Inlet, SC with her son and daughter-in-law, Lou and Rev. Peggy Pope. There she joined Sandy Grove Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School, served a deaconess, and leader of Seniors' Ministry, and was president of the Missionary Society and eventually became Mother of the Church.

Virginia was a deeply devoted and protective wife and mother(and, by the way, certainly ascribed to the admonition "spare the rod, spoil the child")---and was always a fierce advocate for her family. She was briefly a compassionate foster mother to two teenage boys. "Hot Rod Ginny" (as she called herself). loved singing and laughing, and cook for an army! On any given Sunday her home and table were filled with anyone coming over or dropping in after church. Whomever was at her home at dinnertime was welcome to pull up a chair to the table as any member of the family. Hers was a home full of fun and laughter.

Virginia is preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Ozzie L. Pope, Sr. in 1998, her sister, Gracie Oden Jones, "like a sister", Dolores Pope, brothers Ernest Oden, Charles Oden and Paul Oden, granddaughter Marjorie S. Johnson, and great-granddaughter, Kesleigh E. Johnson. 

Among those who will continue to celebrate Virginia and cherish fond memories are her children Ozzie Louis Pope, Jr. (Peggy) of Murrels Inlet, SC, Christine Pope Portis (Charles) of Pittsburgh, PA, William David Pope, of Bridgeville, PA, Carolyn Pope Middleton, of Bowie, MD, and Steven Carl Pope (Sharon), of Butler, PA, Marlene Moore of Pittsburgh, PA who was just like a daughter; siblings, Rosa O. Kendrick of Decatur, GA, Margaret McKnight of Riverdale, GA, brothers, Arnold Oden and Otis Oden, of Connecticut,  16 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, 7 great, great-grandchildren, and a host of sisters and brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Virginia Pope, please visit our floral store.