Clifford William Pope, Sr.

Mr. Clifford William Pope, Sr., age 81 of Axson, Ga. passed away, Monday, September 27, 2021, at his home surrounded by his loving family.   

During the night on May 29^th, 1940, DW Pope and Annie Lee Harrell Pope welcomed their first-born child into this world and named him “Clifford William Pope”. DW sent word to his father the next morning that “a little Plowboy came to our house last night”. Clifford graduated from High School in Coffee County in 1958 and entered the US Army in 1959, serving in West Germany. After the Army he worked with the Coffee County Stockyards going out to round up cows with his horse to be sold at the Stockyard.  He married Shirley Gillis in 1962 and moved to Axson in 1964. He farmed and later worked at Standard Container in Homerville for a while. In the early 1970’s he started driving a semi for C&H Transportation in Dallas Texas. He used as his CB handle, “Plowboy”. In 1978 he and his wife started Pope Trucking Inc with one truck and one flatbed. Clifford loved people and he loved the Lord Jesus. If you were around him for very long, he would share with you about Jesus. His desire was for everyone to know the Love of God that he had found. He loved cooking, working with cows, trucking, and meeting people. He was a Gideon and loved to share the Word of God with others.  Mr. Pope was preceded in death, along with his parents, by his brother; Harrell Dewitt Pope and grandson; Cody Brice Pope.

Survivors include:

Wife of 58 years:  Shirley Gillis Pope of Axson, Ga.

Son:  William Pope and Wife, Loye of Douglas, Ga.

2 Daughters:  Tracey Brown and husband, Pat of Axson, Ga.

                       Audrey Ponsell and husband, Tommy of Axson, Ga.

2 Brothers:  Gregory Pope and wife, Jackie of Douglas, Ga.

                    Jerry Pope and wife, Ellen of Douglas, Ga.

Sister:  Mellie Sue Spellman and husband, Skip of Buckhead, Ga.

10 Grandchildren, 9 Great-Grandchildren along with several other nieces, nephews and other relatives also survive.

Funeral Services for Mr. Pope was held, Friday, October 1, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. at Covenant Church in Douglas, Ga. with Rev. William Pope and Rev. Edward Mathews officiating.  Special musical selections included, “The Goodness of God” and “Another Soldier’s Coming Home” both rendered by John Glosson.  The interment followed in Mt. Zion Cemetery in Axson, Ga. with special hymn, “Blessed Assurance” rendered by those in attendance and Military Honors rendered by a U.S. Army Honor Guard Contingent from Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Serving as active pallbearers were:  Michael Brown, Casey Pope, Justin Brown, T.J. Ponsell, Justin Harwell, Matthew Johnson, Keagan Ellis and Matthew Brown.

Relihan Funeral Home in Pearson, Ga. was in charge of the arrangements.