Vernon E. Pope, 62, was born in Emporia, KS to Clyve Pope and Betty (McGill) Pope (now Schreiner) on Sept. 23, 1962. Vernon passed away on Oct. 1, 2024, after a stroke.
Vernon loved people and enjoyed making friends and helping them whenever he could. He also always had a joke or funny song on the tip of his tongue. Vernon attended school in Lebo, KS until 1978 and later graduated from Emporia High School, Emporia, KS in 1980. Vernon was proud to have served the U.S. Army from 1980 to 1982 as a field medic. During his time in the service, he was stationed in Fort Jackson, South Carolina and Nuremberg, Germany. Vernon married Serena Thompson, of Galena, MO in 1984, but the couple divorced in 1994. He also attended Pittsburg State University briefly in the early 1980s. Vernon and Barbara Allen, originally of Waynesville, MO, married at Overland Municipal Court in Overland, MO, a suburb in St. Louis County, on July 27, 2000. He later moved to Pittsburg, KS. In June 2008, he attended and graduated from the Pittsburg Police Department Citizens’ Academy, Pittsburg, KS.
Vernon is survived by his wife, Barbara Pope, of Pittsburg, KS; his ex-wife, Serena Brown; his daughter, Priscilla Pope, of Veguita, NM; his father, Clyve Pope, of Girard, KS; his mother, Betty Schreiner, of Ottawa, KS; a brother, Kenny Pope, of Ottawa, KS; a brother, Ross Pope, of Layton, UT; a stepsister, Tammy Fleck, and husband, Bobby, both of Cherokee, KS; a stepsister, Sherry Redd, of Pittsburg, KS; a stepbrother, Bob Schreiner, Jr.; a stepsister, Tracy Purser; and nieces and nephews, Keara Pope, Tristin Pope, Braxton Pope, James Pope, Nichole Cormeier, Tyler Fleck, Matthew Fleck, Alexander Fleck, Ashleigh Fleck, Amy Fleck, Matthew Allen Danielle Driskell, and Dustin Allen; and multiple friends. He was preceded in death by his grandparents; stepmother, Helen Pope, of Cherokee, KS, in 2014; nephew, Kevin Fleck, of Cherokee, KS, in 2014; and stepfather, Robert Schreiner, of Oklahoma City, OK, in 2019.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Southeast Kansas Humane Society. Additional details forthcoming. Arrangements are under the direction of Ozark Memorial Park of Joplin, MO.
