The Man Who Always Wore a Smile
Russell Pope, 92, passed away peacefully holding the hand of his loving wife, Linda, on November 19, 2021.
Always a fighter, Russ fought a courageous battle with his family by his side and will be sorely missed by all.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, his family moved back home to their native Cornwall, UK to live and work on the family farm.
As a young man, Russ entered the British Air Force where his love for aviation grew and prompted a move to Ontario, Canada where he met Lin. That’s where he was fortunate enough to begin working on the famous Avro Arrow, before moving to Montreal and concluding his aviation career at TCA and Canadair.
Russ and Lin moved to the lower mainland where they both worked and retired at BC Tel.
The pair settled in Ladner, BC and they spent many years travelling the world together. Russ always said his favourite trip was the cruise he and Lin took up the Amazon River.
Russ enjoyed lawn bowling and playing cards at the Ladner Lawn Bowling Club as well as carpet bowling at McKee House where he formed lasting friendships.
Russ will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 64 years, Lin; his 3 children, Maureen Pope-Fergusson, Doug Pope (Tami), and Cherie Zessler (Tom). He is also survived by his 8 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
Russ chose to see the best in people and had a passion for life and travel. His smile was contagious and he loved to make people laugh. Russ was always there to help anyone who needed a helping hand.
Russ was a genuine man who enriched the lives of those who were fortunate enough to have known him. While our hearts ache knowing he is gone, we will cherish the many fond memories we enjoyed with him.
The family would like to thank Delta Hospital, the Fraser Health Palliative Team, and the Irene Thomas Hospice Society for their compassionate care.
A celebration of life with family and friends will be held at a future date. Please refer back to this website for details in early 2022.
Please share with us your memories and photos of Russ by filling out the form below.
Dear Dad
I can’t believe I haven’t posted here in so long! I miss you everyday. What I would give to sit with you and have one of our chats. I made some Cornish Pasties today for us to have tomorrow in what would have been your 95 birthday. We will see tomorrow how they turned out I hope I will make you proud. I am doing my best to take care of Mom and I hope you are looking down on all of us with a smile.
Happy Birthday tomorrow Dad wish you were here
Love always Baba
Xoxoxoxox
Dear Dad
Christmas was crazy busy you know how it gets for me. You were missed by all. It hurts not having you with us anymore but we are now able to have chuckles about what you would say or so. Boy do I miss those days💔. I know you watching down on us all. It’s my birthday and Tom and I are going to RR I will look up to you for some good luck.
Love you Dad and miss our chats and seeing your smile.
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Dad
Hi Papa!
Today marks the second year since you moved on to another world. Have you met my grandparents yet?
A lot has happened. Lu is growing to be a proud little man, and became a big brother who takes pride in introducing his little brother and the rest of his family to the world. A second cutie of a boy – Khan – joined the family. He knew how to charm everyone instantly. His smile came very early and is ever so infectious that Ryan asked me if Khan carries your spirit.
We have our own backyard in Ladner now. Enjoyed by all the kids, I know you would like it too.
If you want to come to my dream and teach a thing or two about building a garden, I’m all ears.
Love,
Bai
Dear Dad
A year has passed 🥲 since you moved on to your other journey. We miss you so much. They say time heals but it’s hard. Every day I look at your picture so full of life and think you will be back. I have tried my best as you would have wanted to carry on but it’s hard, very hard. I miss you dad wish you were still here.
Love your Baba
Xoxoxooxox
A year has passed since you began your final journey. Its been a very emotional time, filled with sorrow, sadness, lovely memories and reflection on how great a man you were to all of us. Even now when inspiration, guidance or smile is needed, you still provide that. I strive to be the man you were, taking care of your special girls, Baba & Lindi Lou, as best a I can and knowing you are there in spirit to help me. I always imagine you looking down, drink in hand after playing bowling or cards, and saying well done my lad well done. I always smile knowing you approve. You have meant more to me than words can truly express, always there to help, guide, make every feel special, when in fact you were the special one. We miss you in so many ways which may make the heart empty and sad, but you gave us so many memories and happiness and love we will always have and cherish. I miss you being, here hearing you laugh needing the TV fixed again the family BBQs out side. But I feel your presence to help make life better.
Cheerio my friend and thank you for all you gave me and trust to take care of the ladies for you
Love Tom
Happy 93 rd heavenly birthday dad. I hope you are celebrating with Jack! I hope your made the drinks. We miss you every day.
Love Baba
Xoxoxoxoxoxox
Missing you❤️
Two months ago today you left us all. Today your beautiful wooden urn came for your final resting place. You would be over the moon with the detail and how a young woman made it. I know you are looking down with a smile on your face saying good job❤️
Miss you so much
Love Baba
Xoxoxoxo
Happy New Year Dad!
We all sure miss you more than you know. We are doing our best to take care of Mom. If you could give her a sign that you are watching over her like I know you are she would love that ❤️
Love you and miss you so much 💔
Baba
Xoxoxo
So sorry for your loss. Russ always had a smile & made me feel welcome we lived next door in Richmond until they bought in Ladner then we were visiting on the other side of the tunnel.
Jan Hartley Meadows
My father Dave was saddened when I passed on the news he talked about the laughter & how Russ was always willing to help a friend. Dave had a lot of fun with him.
Dave Hartley
Hi Janice
Thank you so much for leaving a comment. My parents enjoyed endless pots of coffee with your parents and had many good times. Not many people can say they camped in a converted hearse🤣.
Hope your all doing well say hi to your Dad from my Mom and myself.
Christmas 2021 we all miss you so much. This was your favourite time of the year being with family. We had a place set for you at the table and had a Christmas cracker we cracked. Mom wore your hat and we had a cheer for. I know you were up in heaven cheering us too. Dad I miss you more than you know, love you ❤️
Your Baba
Xoxoxox
Dear Dad
4 weeks today and life isn’t getting any easier without you. I look at your picture and still can’t believe you won’t be coming back home 😢. You always loved Christmas and this year will be hard for us all not having you here.
I wish you were still here, I wish we could still have our chats, I wish we had another Christmas together. I always knew losing you would be hard but never knew it would be this hard.
I love you❤️
Cherie. I am sad to hear of your dad. Although I never met him I feel I did after the many chats we had about him. Maybe he will take care of my Peso. Love Colleen and Larry.
It’s been over a week since Russ left us and still I find it difficult to express the great loss of his passing. He was such a great man on so many levels. He welcomed me with open arms into the family, soon being the father I never had. His love for his family and loyalty to his many friends was more than inspiring to me. His gift of telling stories of his rich life travels was amazing. From his time working with aircraft, he told stories of the different types of planes he worked on. From The Avro to jets to prop planes the stories were not only endless but so interesting as well. Cruising was his passion in traveling which meant more stories, with his favorite stories being the helicopter making a rooster tail on a lake or how expensive the beer was in Monte Carlo while with the Hemricks, or the the trip up the Amazon and all there was to see. The stories never ended even with the BC Tel era which he was so proud of, each story told with a smile and twinkle in his eyes. The one story that would make him laugh the loudest and longest and brought tears to his eyes from laughter was when he “cleared” the patio. Those times of laughter were so special and will always remain special. Russ has touched everyone he knew is such a way that we all are better people for knowing him. He his sorely missed but at the same time fondly remembered especially by me. To quote one of his lines he always said to me “Ok guy, Cheerio, thanks for everything, Cheerio Russ thank you so much for everything, you are so missed.
Dad it’s been over a week and I miss you so much😢. I want you back. I know you are better off now and free of illness. Maybe I am selfish but I want more time with you! You were my first love ❤️ I keep looking for a symbol that you are watching over us. You came home on Friday and Stacey and I picked you up, the sun was out just like the day you left us you know how to pick em!!!! Dad I love you and miss you more than you know. Love you Baba xoxoxoxo
The years somehow have rapidly gone by. I was taken aback when I read the passing of Russ in the Delta Optimist today. Cherie, you and I would often share our feelings of gratitude towards our dads. How did we get so lucky? Well, they are together now.
My deepest condolences to Linda, Cherie and the entire Pope family.
Anita Johnston (Thauli)
XO
❤️. Thank you
Russ. You will truly be missed. We are so thankful to have such good memories over the years. Rest In Peace my friend. Our Condolences to Lin and family.
❤️
So sorry to hear of the passing of Russ, so many comments about his smile which I remember from the days he would pick Linda up at the Phonemart.
He always had a story to tell.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Linda and the family .
❤️
Dear Dad, Baba here. Remember when you told me you didn’t want anyone to cry when you are gone, well like I told you we all did. The day you left us a part of my heart left with you, I miss you so much. I know you will watch over all of us like always and know that we will take good care of Mom. I was so very lucky to be able to call you Dad. Love you to the moon and back❤️ Baba
If you knew my Papa, you knew how fortunate you were to have known him. As the head of the family, he was so proud of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. The encouragement, wisdom, and guidance he blessed me with shaped my life and his steadfast love kept me grounded. I would not be the woman I am today without him. The loss and grief I feel is immeasurable. Being such a key part of my life, I’m struggling to accept I’ll never hear his voice again or see his contagious smile. Lost, but not forgotten, I will forever cherish the abundance of memories I’m so grateful to have with and of him. His last words to me were “I love you”, which is how he ended every conversation with me. I love you, Papa. You will be sorely missed. Cheerio, my sweet Papa.