Thomas Woodrow Pope

Obituary for Thomas Woodrow Pope, 77, Orange Park, FL
Thomas Woodrow Pope of Orange Park, Florida departed this life on November 15, 2019 In Orange Park, Fl. Thomas was born January 12, 1942 in St. Augustine, FL, to the late Clovis and Delphia Lomax Pope.
Thomas grew in Miami; where he attended high school and graduated from Jackson High in 1960. After graduation he joined the United States Navy with several friends, traveling aboard. on Guided Missile Carriers. After returning home, purchased his beloved Chevy Malibu. He enjoyed drag racing, his family, and in later years traveling, spending most summer vacations Tennessee with his children. In 1964, he started his lifelong career first with Seaboard Coastline Railroad, as a conductor, later he worked for CSX Railroad and finally retiring from Amtrak. He was Married Linda Hemphill of Hialeah, Florida, in 1964, going on to have two children Wendy and Thomas, where he made his home for the next 15 years. He was a member of the Hialeah United Methodist Church, was a devoted member of the Edison Center Masonic Lodge # 298, along with his father Clovis Pope and Father-in-law Robert Hemphill. He went on to become a Master Mason. He was a hardworking and devoted husband and father and brother. He later moved to Davie, Florida, where he went to work for CSX railroad, and after divorcing, Met and married Joanne Vancura in 1984, making his home in Orange Park, Florida. After retiring from the railroad in he later became a Union Chairman with the United Transportation Union, going to Tallahassee and Washington DC as a leading trade unionist and political activist
Thomas was predeceased by his Wife Joanne Vancura and Brother Donald Pope.
Surviving are his Children. Daughter Wendy (Sami) Rajput of Mays Landing, NJ; Son Thomas Michael Pope, of Las Vegas, NV. Grandchildren Matthew (Laura) Swain; along with, his Great grandchildren Wyatt and Quinn Swain of Egg Harbor City, NJ; Robert Swain, of Galloway NJ ; Michael (Erica) Swain, of Mays Landing, NJ ; Sister Barbara Ponte of Orange Park, FL; Sister-in-law, Cherie Vancura of Orange Park, FL; Nephew Philip (Heather) Ponte and children Charlie, Teagan and Kasen of Orange Park, FL; Niece, Valerie Prince and son Noah of Orange Park, Fl.
Services will be at the Shackelford Funeral Home in Wayne County, with a viewing on December 6th at 1:00pm Funeral Services will be held on Saturday December 7th at 1:00 Followed by Burial at North Highland Cemetery, Waynesboro, TN
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children https://donate.lovetotherescue.org or The Alzheimer Association. https://act.alz.org