Ricky Pope

RICK POPE, LONG-TIME RESIDENT OF ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, AND FORMERLY OF CORSICANA, WENT HOME TO BE WITH HIS LORD AND SAVIOR ON OCTOBER 5, 2013. AS FAMILY MEMBERS SANG HYMNS AT HIS BEDSIDE, HE PEACEFULLY PASSED AWAY. RICK WAS BORN NOVEMBER 4, 1956, IN FORT WORTH TO THE LATE KENNETH L. POPE AND MRS. FLOY BRAZZEL DOWD. RICK WAS A 1975 CORSICANA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE. HE MARRIED CYNTHIA PONDER OF CORSICANA AND THEIR HOME WAS WHERE THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ASSIGNED HIM. RICK WAS STATIONED IN TEXAS, ALASKA, FLORIDA AND EUROPE. THE FAMILY ESPECIALLY ENJOYED THE NEARLY 10 YEARS THEY LIVED IN ITALY AND GERMANY AND TRAVELING THROUGHOUT EUROPE. RICK RETIRED FROM THE U.S.A.F. IN 1996 AND THEY RELOCATED FROM EUROPE TO ALBUQUERQUE. HIS COLLEGE EDUCATION AND TRAINING WAS AS A SAFETY PROFESSIONAL. WHEN HIS 37 YEAR CAREER ENDED DUE TO ILLNESS, HE WORKED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AT SANDIA LABORATORIES IN ALBUQUERQUE. RICK TRULY ENJOYED WORKING. HE GREATLY APPRECIATED THAT THE LORD BLESSED HIM WITH THE ABILITY TO BE ACTIVELY EMPLOYED DURING SO MUCH OF HIS ILLNESS. AT THE AGE OF 45, RICK WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A VERY RARE CANCER. HE BRAVELY FOUGHT THE DISEASE FOR MORE THAN 11 YEARS. RICK’S DETERMINATION, BRAVERY AND TRUST IN GOD INSPIRED HIS MANY FRIENDS. HIS RARE ABDOMINAL CANCER CAUSED GREAT PAIN AND SUFFERING. HE ACKNOWLEDGED AND APPRECIATED GOD’S COMFORT IN ALL HE FACED. RICK WAS A LONG-TIME, FAITHFUL MEMBER OF GOSPEL LIGHT BAPTIST CHURCH. HE WAS THE HEAD DEACON AND HAD PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER AND SUNDAY MORNING CHURCH BUS DRIVER. HE LOVED THE CHURCH, HIS PASTOR AND FELLOW CHURCH MEMBERS. HE GREATLY LOVED HIS ENTIRE FAMILY. HE WAS EXTREMELY THANKFUL FOR HIS THREE SONS. THEY WERE HIS GREATEST JOY. HE WAS SO GRATEFUL FOR EACH SON’S FAMILY. HE LOVED HIS VERY SPECIAL DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW AND SIX PRECIOUS GRANDCHILDREN. HE WAS A BLESSED MAN. RICK’S GREATEST LOVE WAS FOR GOD. IN FACING DEATH AND ETERNITY, RICK HAD PERFECT PEACE. HE HAD THE ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE THAT, BECAUSE HE HAD PLACED HIS FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, HE WOULD SPEND ETERNITY IN HEAVEN. VISITATION WILL BE AT GRIFFIN-ROUGHTON FUNERAL HOME 5:00P.M.-7:00P.M. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9. THE FUNERAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH CORSICANA AT 10:00A.M. OCTOBER 10. INTERMENT WILL BE IN THE DFW NATIONAL CEMETERY 2000 MOUNTAIN CREEK PKWY. DALLAS, TX 75211. PALLBEARERS WILL BE STEVE BROOKS, LEE BROOKS, RON MARKWOOD, BRAD MARKWOOD, MATT MARKWOOD, AND MARC POPE. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, THE FAMILY ASK THAT DONATIONS BE MADE TO RICK’S CHOICE: GOSPEL LIGHT BAPTIST CHURCH BUILDING FUND 1500 SOUTHERN BLVD SE RIO RANCHO, NM 87124

Ricky Pope

November 4, 1956 - October 5, 2013