EDINBURG, PA. - Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 10:15 a.m. at the Wasko Funeral Home, followed by a Christian Rite of Burial at 11 a.m. at St. James the Apostle Parish, 4019 US Route 422, in New Bedford, for Russell Edward Pope, 69, who passed away early Wednesday morning, March 23, 2016, after a short illness.
Mr. Pope was born Feb. 14, 1947, to Edward L. and Ann Martinko Pope.
He was a lifelong member of St. James the Apostle Parish, where he served as an altar boy in his youth and was a 1965 graduate of Wilmington High School.
After an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in 1968, where he served as a Hawk Continuous Wave Radar mechanic, he headed west for adventure. He was a member of both the American Legion and VFW.
The next 10 years of his life were spent as a certified welder, working around the country at such noble sites as Disney World in Florida, the Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado and missile sites across North Dakota and Montana. He often commented that he had “been everywhere but the electric chair and seen everything but the wind.” And also that he “could weld anything but a broken heart.” Friendships made throughout this time remained strong to the end, and the stories that surrounded them were always the highpoints of his life.
Upon returning to his hometown of New Bedford, he married Marianne Hudran of Youngstown on Dec. 2, 1978. They spent 37 interesting years together and had two sons, Russell Edward II and Randall Joseph.
They owned and operated RR Tree Farm, where they sold Christmas trees. As a family they traveled regularly and were fortunate enough to visit their mother country, Slovakia, to meet their relatives and personally experience their heritage.
At 62, Russell retired from Structural Ironworkers Local 207, but for the last six years been employed by Youngstown Bridge LLC, as their shop supervisor. The owner, Marty DePerro, states that Russell was “indispensable,” taught the young guys a lot and is absolutely “irreplaceable.”
All would agree that Pope was an awesome joke teller and loved to entertain friends with his side-splitting stories. Life, for him, was observed from “a very unique perspective.” If he was your friend, he was your friend to death and always had your back covered. He was famous for his home-smoked bacon, ham, cheese, ribs and homemade kielbasa, which was made using his grandfather Martinko’s recipe.
Pope’s larger than life personality was a people magnet. If you had ever met “Russ” Pope, you would undeniably know you had met Russ Pope. He was unforgettable.
As a husband and father, he was an awesome provider, teacher, entertainer, helper, giver and lover. He was an instrumental counterbalance in the ups and downs of family life. He loved his sons more than life and gave his all to see that their needs were met. Again, he “had our backs to the end.”
Russell was preceded in death by his father, Edward L. Pope.
To mourn his passing, he leaves his wife, Marianne (Hudran); two sons, Russell Edward II and Randall Joseph; and his canine companion, Ira. He also leaves his mother, Ann (Martinko) Pope of New Bedford, Pa.; three sisters, Ruth Fletcher of New Bedford, Kathleeen (Dan) Molhoek of Ada, Mich., and Sylvia (Mike) Jara of Edinboro, Pa.; a sister-in-law, Barbara Hudran; and brother-in-law, William B. Hudran II, both of Youngstown. His nieces and nephews include, Renee (Miller) Weber, Jennifer Trock, Alex Trock, Amy (Arden) Tubayan, Christine Jara, William B. Hudran III and Raymond Hudran.
Burial will take place at St. James the Apostle Parish Cemetery in Villa Maria, Pa.
Source: The Youngstown Vindicator 27 Mar 2016
Mr. Pope was born Feb. 14, 1947, to Edward L. and Ann Martinko Pope.
He was a lifelong member of St. James the Apostle Parish, where he served as an altar boy in his youth and was a 1965 graduate of Wilmington High School.
After an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in 1968, where he served as a Hawk Continuous Wave Radar mechanic, he headed west for adventure. He was a member of both the American Legion and VFW.
The next 10 years of his life were spent as a certified welder, working around the country at such noble sites as Disney World in Florida, the Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado and missile sites across North Dakota and Montana. He often commented that he had “been everywhere but the electric chair and seen everything but the wind.” And also that he “could weld anything but a broken heart.” Friendships made throughout this time remained strong to the end, and the stories that surrounded them were always the highpoints of his life.
Upon returning to his hometown of New Bedford, he married Marianne Hudran of Youngstown on Dec. 2, 1978. They spent 37 interesting years together and had two sons, Russell Edward II and Randall Joseph.
They owned and operated RR Tree Farm, where they sold Christmas trees. As a family they traveled regularly and were fortunate enough to visit their mother country, Slovakia, to meet their relatives and personally experience their heritage.
At 62, Russell retired from Structural Ironworkers Local 207, but for the last six years been employed by Youngstown Bridge LLC, as their shop supervisor. The owner, Marty DePerro, states that Russell was “indispensable,” taught the young guys a lot and is absolutely “irreplaceable.”
All would agree that Pope was an awesome joke teller and loved to entertain friends with his side-splitting stories. Life, for him, was observed from “a very unique perspective.” If he was your friend, he was your friend to death and always had your back covered. He was famous for his home-smoked bacon, ham, cheese, ribs and homemade kielbasa, which was made using his grandfather Martinko’s recipe.
Pope’s larger than life personality was a people magnet. If you had ever met “Russ” Pope, you would undeniably know you had met Russ Pope. He was unforgettable.
As a husband and father, he was an awesome provider, teacher, entertainer, helper, giver and lover. He was an instrumental counterbalance in the ups and downs of family life. He loved his sons more than life and gave his all to see that their needs were met. Again, he “had our backs to the end.”
Russell was preceded in death by his father, Edward L. Pope.
To mourn his passing, he leaves his wife, Marianne (Hudran); two sons, Russell Edward II and Randall Joseph; and his canine companion, Ira. He also leaves his mother, Ann (Martinko) Pope of New Bedford, Pa.; three sisters, Ruth Fletcher of New Bedford, Kathleeen (Dan) Molhoek of Ada, Mich., and Sylvia (Mike) Jara of Edinboro, Pa.; a sister-in-law, Barbara Hudran; and brother-in-law, William B. Hudran II, both of Youngstown. His nieces and nephews include, Renee (Miller) Weber, Jennifer Trock, Alex Trock, Amy (Arden) Tubayan, Christine Jara, William B. Hudran III and Raymond Hudran.
Burial will take place at St. James the Apostle Parish Cemetery in Villa Maria, Pa.
Source: The Youngstown Vindicator 27 Mar 2016
EDINBURG, PA. - Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 10:15 a.m. at the Wasko Funeral Home, followed by a Christian Rite of Burial at 11 a.m. at St. James the Apostle Parish, 4019 US Route 422, in New Bedford, for Russell Edward Pope, 69, who passed away early Wednesday morning, March 23, 2016, after a short illness.
Mr. Pope was born Feb. 14, 1947, to Edward L. and Ann Martinko Pope.
He was a lifelong member of St. James the Apostle Parish, where he served as an altar boy in his youth and was a 1965 graduate of Wilmington High School.
After an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in 1968, where he served as a Hawk Continuous Wave Radar mechanic, he headed west for adventure. He was a member of both the American Legion and VFW.
The next 10 years of his life were spent as a certified welder, working around the country at such noble sites as Disney World in Florida, the Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado and missile sites across North Dakota and Montana. He often commented that he had “been everywhere but the electric chair and seen everything but the wind.” And also that he “could weld anything but a broken heart.” Friendships made throughout this time remained strong to the end, and the stories that surrounded them were always the highpoints of his life.
Upon returning to his hometown of New Bedford, he married Marianne Hudran of Youngstown on Dec. 2, 1978. They spent 37 interesting years together and had two sons, Russell Edward II and Randall Joseph.
They owned and operated RR Tree Farm, where they sold Christmas trees. As a family they traveled regularly and were fortunate enough to visit their mother country, Slovakia, to meet their relatives and personally experience their heritage.
At 62, Russell retired from Structural Ironworkers Local 207, but for the last six years been employed by Youngstown Bridge LLC, as their shop supervisor. The owner, Marty DePerro, states that Russell was “indispensable,” taught the young guys a lot and is absolutely “irreplaceable.”
All would agree that Pope was an awesome joke teller and loved to entertain friends with his side-splitting stories. Life, for him, was observed from “a very unique perspective.” If he was your friend, he was your friend to death and always had your back covered. He was famous for his home-smoked bacon, ham, cheese, ribs and homemade kielbasa, which was made using his grandfather Martinko’s recipe.
Pope’s larger than life personality was a people magnet. If you had ever met “Russ” Pope, you would undeniably know you had met Russ Pope. He was unforgettable.
As a husband and father, he was an awesome provider, teacher, entertainer, helper, giver and lover. He was an instrumental counterbalance in the ups and downs of family life. He loved his sons more than life and gave his all to see that their needs were met. Again, he “had our backs to the end.”
Russell was preceded in death by his father, Edward L. Pope.
To mourn his passing, he leaves his wife, Marianne (Hudran); two sons, Russell Edward II and Randall Joseph; and his canine companion, Ira. He also leaves his mother, Ann (Martinko) Pope of New Bedford, Pa.; three sisters, Ruth Fletcher of New Bedford, Kathleeen (Dan) Molhoek of Ada, Mich., and Sylvia (Mike) Jara of Edinboro, Pa.; a sister-in-law, Barbara Hudran; and brother-in-law, William B. Hudran II, both of Youngstown. His nieces and nephews include, Renee (Miller) Weber, Jennifer Trock, Alex Trock, Amy (Arden) Tubayan, Christine Jara, William B. Hudran III and Raymond Hudran.
Burial will take place at St. James the Apostle Parish Cemetery in Villa Maria, Pa.
Source: The Youngstown Vindicator 27 Mar 2016
Mr. Pope was born Feb. 14, 1947, to Edward L. and Ann Martinko Pope.
He was a lifelong member of St. James the Apostle Parish, where he served as an altar boy in his youth and was a 1965 graduate of Wilmington High School.
After an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in 1968, where he served as a Hawk Continuous Wave Radar mechanic, he headed west for adventure. He was a member of both the American Legion and VFW.
The next 10 years of his life were spent as a certified welder, working around the country at such noble sites as Disney World in Florida, the Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado and missile sites across North Dakota and Montana. He often commented that he had “been everywhere but the electric chair and seen everything but the wind.” And also that he “could weld anything but a broken heart.” Friendships made throughout this time remained strong to the end, and the stories that surrounded them were always the highpoints of his life.
Upon returning to his hometown of New Bedford, he married Marianne Hudran of Youngstown on Dec. 2, 1978. They spent 37 interesting years together and had two sons, Russell Edward II and Randall Joseph.
They owned and operated RR Tree Farm, where they sold Christmas trees. As a family they traveled regularly and were fortunate enough to visit their mother country, Slovakia, to meet their relatives and personally experience their heritage.
At 62, Russell retired from Structural Ironworkers Local 207, but for the last six years been employed by Youngstown Bridge LLC, as their shop supervisor. The owner, Marty DePerro, states that Russell was “indispensable,” taught the young guys a lot and is absolutely “irreplaceable.”
All would agree that Pope was an awesome joke teller and loved to entertain friends with his side-splitting stories. Life, for him, was observed from “a very unique perspective.” If he was your friend, he was your friend to death and always had your back covered. He was famous for his home-smoked bacon, ham, cheese, ribs and homemade kielbasa, which was made using his grandfather Martinko’s recipe.
Pope’s larger than life personality was a people magnet. If you had ever met “Russ” Pope, you would undeniably know you had met Russ Pope. He was unforgettable.
As a husband and father, he was an awesome provider, teacher, entertainer, helper, giver and lover. He was an instrumental counterbalance in the ups and downs of family life. He loved his sons more than life and gave his all to see that their needs were met. Again, he “had our backs to the end.”
Russell was preceded in death by his father, Edward L. Pope.
To mourn his passing, he leaves his wife, Marianne (Hudran); two sons, Russell Edward II and Randall Joseph; and his canine companion, Ira. He also leaves his mother, Ann (Martinko) Pope of New Bedford, Pa.; three sisters, Ruth Fletcher of New Bedford, Kathleeen (Dan) Molhoek of Ada, Mich., and Sylvia (Mike) Jara of Edinboro, Pa.; a sister-in-law, Barbara Hudran; and brother-in-law, William B. Hudran II, both of Youngstown. His nieces and nephews include, Renee (Miller) Weber, Jennifer Trock, Alex Trock, Amy (Arden) Tubayan, Christine Jara, William B. Hudran III and Raymond Hudran.
Burial will take place at St. James the Apostle Parish Cemetery in Villa Maria, Pa.
Source: The Youngstown Vindicator 27 Mar 2016
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