WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
Wanda J. Pope, age 70, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Wednesday afternoon, April 22, 2009, at the Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo.
She was born April 17, 1939, in Fort Worth, Texas, a daughter of the late Marshall and Vera (Norris) Rhodes.
Wanda had resided in Sturgis since 1976, coming from California.
On Feb. 19, 1957, she married Stanley Pope in Grand Rapids.
Wanda had been employed as a dietitian at Sturgis Hospital and had also worked in the offices of the Material Service Company in Chicago.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, and was proud of the fact that she had received Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.
Wanda enjoyed traveling, being in the outdoors and working in her flower gardens. Wanda had many interests and hobbies, but the single most important thing in her life was her family. She was totally devoted to her husband and children.
She is survived by her loving husband of 52 years, Stanley; two daughters, Elizabeth and Kim Pope of Elkhart, Ind., and Tracie (Pope) Townsend of Sturgis; a son, Sean L. (Laurie) Pope of Centreville; a granddaughter, Sonny (Caleb) Pope of Zeeland; a great-granddaughter; Lorillie Lee Pope; a sister, Patsy Carlson of Illinois; two brothers, Chalmer Rhodes of Kentucky and Marlee Rhodes of California; a brother-in-law, Warren Brandebury of Sturgis; a sister-in-law, Karen (Dallas) Willis of Florida; and several nieces, nephews and cousins, including a special cousin, Ron Brandebury of Sturgis.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two sons, Mark Joseph Pope and Jeffery Lee Pope; a sister, Hazel Marie Brandebury; and a brother-in-law, Burt Carlson.
The family will receive friends and relatives from 6-8 p.m. Monday at the Hackman Family Funeral Homes Rosenberg Chapel, 807 E. Chicago Road, Sturgis. A graveside service and burial will take place at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Sturgis. The Rev. Robert Keim of the First United Methodist Church in Sturgis will officiate.
Memorial donations to the family would be appreciated, c/o: Stanley Pope, 204 N. Lakeview Ave., Sturgis, MI 49091. Envelopes are available at the funeral home.
Her obituary is also at www.hackmanfamilyfuneralhome.com, where personal messages of support may be left for the family.
