John Moses Pope


John Pope

John Moses Pope, age 93, of Kirkland, Washington, passed away on June 27, 2018.

A military honors service will be held at 2:30 p.m. on September 7, 2018, at the Tahoma National Cemetery (in Kent, WA). Upon arrival at the cemetery, guests will be directed to a shelter where the service will take place. Arrangements are being handled by Barton Funeral Home of Kirkland, WA.

John M. Pope was born in Warren, Ohio, on August 28, 1924. He graduated from Garfield High School in Akron, Ohio, and earned degrees from Wheaton College (IL), Fuller Theological Seminary (CA), and the University of St. Andrews (Scotland).

Dr. Pope worked as a professor in the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Northwest College/University from 1960-1984. As a part of the campus community, Dr. Pope was known by his colleagues and students as a serious scholar and cheerful lecturer who was Christ-centered.

Pope served as a United States Air Force Chaplain in France, Germany, and the U.S. (1952-1957) and as a chaplain for the 446th Military Airlift Wing at McChord Air Force Base in Washington State (1969-1980). He retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

During his tenure as a professor, Pope was a speaker and translator at the First Romanian Pentecostal Church (in Bothell, WA) for several years and worked with television/radio stations to arrange Romanian speakers during the December 1989 revolution in Romania. In addition, for several years he ministered with the Fellowship of Christian Adult Singles at Calvary Temple (now Calvary Christian Assembly) in Seattle. Two of the many honors Pope received include the Meritorious Service Medal from the Headquarters Air Force Reserve and the Delta Tau Epsilon Award for Distinguished Service from Northwest College of the Assemblies of God.

As Professor Emeritus, Dr. Pope taught at the Romanian Bible Institute in Bucharest and was a guest lecturer with his wife Peggy at the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington.

Pope was married to Margaret P. Garman on August 26, 1978; they were married for 39 years.

John M. Pope is preceded in death by his wife Margaret P. Pope and brother Earl A. Pope. He is survived by his brother Bruce B. Pope, of Paducah, Kentucky; sister-in-law Miriam Nilsen Pope, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; nephew Geoff M. Pope, of Renton, Washington; and nieces Jessica Pope Marvin, of Park Hills, Kentucky; Marilyn Pope Griffin, of Stuart, Florida; and Laurel Pope Daly, of Alexandria, Virginia.