Obituary of Thomas Pope

Thomas H. “Tommy” Pope of Georgetown, passed away November 7, 2023 at Westminster Health and Rehab Center of Rock Hill, SC. Funeral services will be held at 2:00PM on Friday November 10, 2023 at Herbert Memorial United Methodist Church. The Rev. Charles Wilbanks will officiate. Burial, directed by Graham Funeral Home, will follow in Pennyroyal Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00PM Thursday November 9, 2023 at Graham Funeral Home of Georgetown. Mr. Pope was born on January 13, 1939 in Conway, S.C., a son of Holland Willard Pope and Ollie J. Green Pope of Georgetown County. He was a 1957 honor graduate of Winyah High School in Georgetown. He was a charter member of Herbert Memorial United Methodist and served several years as Chairman of the Church’s Administrative Board. He served in many other positions of the church, including many years as a member of the Chancel Choir and men’s club. Mr. Pope retired from the Belk Department Store chain in 1996 as Vice President and general manager of the Georgetown store where he worked for over forty years. He joined the Georgetown Lion’s Club in 1971 where he had a one hundred percent perfect attendance record nearly 50 years. He served the Georgetown Club as President for two terms 1976/1977 and 2003/2004. He served as club Secretary for six years. He served on the district level as the Club’s first District Governor of District 32-C in 1999/2000. He also served the state on the Multiple District level as President of the South Carolina Lion’s Eye Bank in 1996/97 and President of the South Carolina Lions Charitable Services in 2006/07 He was named a member of the SC Lions Hall of Fame in 1994 and was the South Carolina Lion of the Year in 1998. His Club named him as a Franklin Mason Fellow in 1998. He received Lions Club International’s highest honor in 1988/89 when he was named a Melvin Jones Fellow. He was a lifelong avid fan of the USC Gamecocks. He served on the Board of Directors of the University of South Carolina Gamecock Club. He was a Past President of the local Georgetown Chapter of the USC Gamecock Club, where he was a member for over thirty years. He was selected as the Gamecock Club Member of the Year in 2010. He enjoyed his many years of serving on the boards of the Georgetown County United Way and the Georgetown Chapter of the Salvation Army. Mr. Pope is survived by a son, Anthony Holland “Tony” Pope of Summerville and a daughter Sara Lynn Greer (Sam) of Rock Hill, three grandchildren, John Anthony Pope of Summerville, Emily Ruth Greer of San Diego, CA and Duncan Samuel Greer of Rock Hill. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his wife of 57 years, Brenda Anderson Pope. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lions Vision Services Foundation, 234 Outlet Pointe Blvd, Suite C, Columbia, S.C. 29210 or to Beyond Basic Life Skills, 406 North Gum Street, Summerville, S.C. 29483. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.grahamfuneralhome.org. Arrangements entrusted to Graham Funeral Home (843) 527-4419