Robert "Bob" Earl Pope

Robert (Bob) Earl Pope, 87, passed away at his residence at The View assisted living community in Alexandria, VA, on Wednesday, November 2, 2022. He is survived by his three daughters, Carrie Longoria (Manuel) of Missouri City, TX; Lisa Pope (Justin Cohen) of Arlington, VA; and Laura Pope of Woodbridge, VA. He was predeceased by his wife Jean.

Bob was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. A graduate of Georgia State University, he served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps before going to work for the Federal Government as an economist for the Labor Department, the Cost of Living Council, and the Postal Service. After traveling the country for the Labor Department for several years, he moved to Arlington, VA, in 1963 to work at the department’s headquarters in D.C. After his move, he met fellow Georgia native Jean Godwin at Glebe Baptist Church in Arlington and they were married in 1964. They settled in the Glencarlyn neighborhood in Arlington in 1970, where they raised their daughters. Bob and Jean were both active members of the Glencarlyn community, with Bob serving as treasurer of the Glencarlyn Civic Association for 26 years. Upon their move to Glencarlyn, Bob and Jean joined Greenbrier Baptist Church in Arlington, where they remained dedicated members until the end of their lives. Bob was a Deacon Emeritus, long-time teacher of adult Sunday School classes, chairman of the Stewardship Committee for many years, choir member, treasurer of Greenbrier’s Child Enrichment Center, and later the church treasurer.

Following his retirement from the Federal Government in 1991, Bob coordinated Greenbrier’s food bank, volunteered with Meals on Wheels, and served as treasurer for the Greenbrier Learning Center. In 2014, he moved from Glencarlyn to The Hermitage retirement community in Alexandria (now known as The View). He embraced life at The Hermitage, where he made new friends and enjoyed the many activities.

Growing up, Bob went to the movies every Saturday and often attended minor league baseball games in Atlanta with his uncle. This love of both films and baseball continued throughout his life. After attending Washington Senators games when he first moved to the area, he was thrilled when the Washington Nationals arrived in D.C. in 2005 and then won the World Series in 2019. He rarely missed watching a Nationals game on TV and also enjoyed going to games in person. A lifelong football fan, he celebrated Washington’s three Super Bowl championships as well. Bob also enjoyed reading, travel, musicals, and country music.

Visitation will be held on Friday, November 11, 2022, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Murphy Funeral Home, 4510 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22203. The funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 12, 2022, at Greenbrier Baptist Church, 5401 7th Road South, Arlington, VA 22204, with interment to follow at 1 p.m. at National Memorial Park, 7482 Lee Highway, Falls Church, VA 22042. A reception will be held at Murphy Funeral Home following the burial.

Memorial contributions may be made to Guiding Eyes for the Blind (www.guidingeyes.org) and Boys Town (www.boystown.org) in memory of Robert E. Pope.