Lewis John "Lew" Pope

Lewis John “Lew” Pope, age 80, of Grants Pass, died Tuesday, July 5, 2011 at Three Rivers Community Hospital.

A private celebration of life will be held with Pastor Monty Pope officiating. Private interment will be at Hillcrest Memorial Park. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Lew was born March 25, 1931 in Selma, Oregon to Ambrose & Cora Pope and has lived in Josephine County all of his life. On June 4, 1949 in Grants Pass he married Mary A. Paquette. He was a pole truck driver for 12 years and then worked for the State Forestry as a heavy equipment operator for 12 years before retiring in 1972.

He was a past member of Deer Creek Bowmen and he was the founding member of Emergency Channel 9, called Re-act.

His hobbies included hunting and fishing.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Pope of Grants Pass; four daughters, Mary Ann McBride and Lora Reynolds, both of Grants Pass, Vicky Nichols of North Highlands, California and Wanda Yannayon of Orangevale, California; two brothers, Carl “Jim” Pope of Selma and Ivan Cross of Cave Junction; 11 grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and a great-great-granddaughter.

Preceding him in death was two brothers, Frank Pope and Ed Pope; a granddaughter, Sherry Lynn Wills and a great-great-granddaughter, Brandy Enbysk.