Barbara Mallard (Wilson) Pope

 Barbara was born into the earthly family of Latham and Tina Wilson of Rose Hill, NC on March 6, 1932.  She was taken into god’s heavenly family on November 10, 2018.  This celestial family has been enriched beyond words with this new addition.

Barbara was joined in life by 4 siblings; a brother, Jesse Wilson; and sisters, Betty Cunliff, Patricia Williams, and Shirley Boatman, all now deceased.

She was educated in Rose Hill High School where she was also a star basketball player, and graduated from Duke University in 1954 with a B.A. degree in Religion.  She later took a number of graduate school courses in Special Education which came to be her chosen field of endeavor.

She was married in 1954 to Rev. Arnold Pope, and was an immense asset to his ministry.  She directed the choir in churches at Stokes, Smith, and Winstead Methodist Churches.  She was also a tremendous help to the youth groups.  Later she taught Special Education at Pine Forest High School until her health forced her to give it up.  But she persisted in substitute teaching and even taught one semester in Auto Mechanics!

From 1967 when her husband came to Methodist College as Dean of Men and later Dean of Students, she had a huge impact on a number of its students who would come over to our home & be blessed with her loving and wise nurture.  After a bit, they even began calling her “Little Mama.”  When a student was asked why she was gifted with this title, his reply was: “Well it wouldn’t be cool to call her Big Mama”.

But her greatest gift by far was her role as a loving wife and mother-none was ever any better.  Barbara & Arnold were blessed by 2 sons; Thomas, Jr. & wife, Margaret and Patrick & wife, June; grandchildren, Michael & wife, Katherine, Leigh Anne Pearson & husband, John, and Lydia; great grandchildren, Savannah, Zach & Will Pope and Brayden & Kensley Pearson.

Human words cannot express how much her life meant to so many-thanks be to God for her!

A memorial service will be held at 2:00pm Saturday, November 17, 2018 at Cokesbury United Methodist Church, officiating will be Rev. Debbie Matthis & Rev. Arnold Pope.  Burial will follow in the Fisher Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 12:00pm to 1:45pm Saturday at the church prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Cokesbury United Methodist Church Building Fund, 7536 Clinton Road, Stedman, NC  28391.

Services entrusted to Butler Funeral Home, 6535 Clinton Road, Stedman.

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