Barry Lee Pope

Barry Lee Pope December 3, 1946 – August 26, 2015 Barry Lee Pope, 68, of Rocky Mount passed away Wednesday. His funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday, August 30, 2015 at Joyner’s Funeral Home. Interment will follow in Maplewood Cemetery, Wilson. The family will receive friends 6 – 8 p.m. Saturday at Joyner’s Funeral Home, 4100 Raleigh Road Parkway, Wilson and other times at the home. Barry is survived by his wife of 30 years, Diane Morris Pope of the home; his daughter Allison Wolf and husband, George of Holly Springs; his son, Wes Pope and wife, Heidi of Wilson; his grandchildren, Eli and Erin Pope of Wilson; his sister, Jill Martin and husband, Danny of Conway; his brothers, Jeff Pope, Kyle Pope both of Rocky Mount, and Kevin Pope and wife, Emma of Roanoke Rapids, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Maggie Leigh Pope and L.E. Pope, and his brother, Wayne Pope. Barry was born on December 3, 1946 in Halifax County, and grew up in Rich Square. He completed his general education degree at Chowan College, Murfreesboro and received a BS degree in Deaf Education from Atlantic Christian College (Barton College) in 1972. He was an avid golfer and developed many friendships through his life-long love of golf. He loved spending time at the beach with his family and friends and following his beloved Tar Heels. Barry was active in his community and coached Little League Baseball for the City of Wilson Recreation Department for several years. Barry taught at the Eastern NC School for the Deaf in Wilson for 15 years. His love for his students and coaching gave him 15 years of joy and excitement as he faced each day. At the Eastern NC School for the Deaf (ENCSD), he coached midget football, middle school football and basketball, but his real passion for the love of the game began in 1979, when a high school was added and he was named head football coach. He spent the first year planning and developing the high school athletic program with the Athletic Director and administration team. ENCSD joined the 1-A North Carolina High School Athletic Association Conference, (NCHSAA), and Barry served as the head football coach and head boys basketball coach for 4 years, always instilling in his players strong character and a love for the game. It was never about the wins or losses, but rather about showing the hearing teams that deaf children have the ability to be competitive. He set precedence for equal access for deaf athletics by petitioning the NCHSAA to allow him to step outside the coaching box in basketball games so that his players could see him signing. Not only was this privilege granted to him, but he also asked that the opposing coach be allowed the same courtesy. Barry was dedicated to ENCSD and was instrumental in having the lights installed on the football field, so the team could begin playing football games at home (ENCSD), rather than at Fleming Stadium. In 1982, Barry was named the Athletic Director at ENCSD and continued as the head coach for both football and basketball for a year before making the decision to turn over the football program to his assistant coaches. He was named the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 1-A Football Coach of the Year in 1982 and was President of the NCHSAA 1-A conference for 2 years (1983-1985). Barry remained as the head boys’ basketball coach at ENCSD and the Athletic Director until November of 1986. At this time he left teaching and coaching to work in his family’s business in Rich Square. Barry returned to work for the State of North Carolina as an Adult Probation/Parole Officer in Edgecombe County, the City of Rocky Mount, where he completed his 30 years of state service. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Wilson City Little League, PO Box 10, Wilson, NC 27894 in honor of his two precious grandchildren who kept him young at heart.