- Date Of Birth: June 10, 1931
- Date Of Death: January 7, 2012
- State: Arizona
LaRoye E. Pope died on Saturday January 7, 2012 of heart failure complicated by pneumonia. His family was able to say good bye and send him off peacefully.
LaRoye (Lee) was born in Berkeley, CA on June 10, 1931 to Mary E. and Melvin D. Pope. He grew up in Alameda and graduated from Alameda High School in 1949.
A highly rated baseball pitcher in high school, he would have loved to play professional baseball, but instead he enlisted in the Air Force to serve his country and continued to play recreational softball for many years. In the Air Force he felt privileged to be stationed in various countries around the world including Iceland, Libya, Germany, Thailand, and Japan; as well as many states around the United States.
While he was stationed at Clark AFB in the early 1950s, he met the love of his life, Gerry to whom he was married over 54 years. Together they raised three daughters and when he retired from the Air Force in 1973, he returned to his family home in Alameda, where he lived until his death.
After retiring from the Air Force, he began his second career with Physics International in San Leandro and enjoyed the ability to remain in one place for more than a few years at a time. He was able to retire again and enjoy the life of leisure that he deserved. Lee and Gerry continued their love of travel for many years into retirement, with extended periods of time spent in their motor home and their cabin near Angels Camp.
Lee will be remembered for his love of his family, his grandchildren, sports, animals and music. In fact, it was well known that he liked four legged animals better than most people a lot of the time.
Opa, as he was known to his family, will be greatly missed, but his family is certain he has been reunited with his beloved wife, Gerry, his youngest daughter Lynne Hopper, his brother Terry Pope, his parents and the rest of the loved ones who left before him.
He is survived by his daughters Vickie Lachney & Cathy McKim; his son-in-law, Robert McKim; grandsons Robert Lachney, Robert McKim, Brian McKim, Scott McKim; granddaughter Stacey McKim; granddaughter-in-law Milena Nieto-Lachney; great step-grandson, Anthony Carrell; and great-granddaughter, Dahlia Lachney, as well as his sister, Carol Pope. He is also survived by two nieces, Gina Imo-Piazza & Joanna Kunz and 2 grand-nephews, Vincenzo and Giovanni Piazza of St. Louis, MO.
Rest in Peace Opa.
