Kenneth Wayne Pope

With his white blond hair and soulful blue eyes, Dad was born on the road into the nomadic oil patch ‘wildcat’ community in Blackie, Alberta October 3, 1943. As the second son to Mary and Mel Pope and younger brother to Lloyd, he was bright and his spirit strong from the get-go!

His powerful, creative and ‘fighter’ demeanour helped him survive his early life challenges, which were many. Never allowing anyone to keep him down, he recently shared with me that as a child he couldn’t wait to turn 13 because he’d heard from his parents about rebellious teenagers!

He was always a natural and gifted athlete with a willingness to try anything! Although he had a slimmer build growing up, he had long limbs and beefy, Herculean arms and shoulders. This combined with his love of challenge, had him excel in school sport, even winning several events in track and field such as shot put and javelin. It was during these high school years that he attracted his lifelong partner, lover, friend and soulmate, Janet (Jan) Andison; his wife of nearly 60 years.

They started their journey in their teens and married early at 18 (Mum) and 20 (Dad). He was wholeheartedly adopted into Mum’s family really being accepted as another son and brother. Not being able to afford the lower mainland, they ventured to Texada Island where Dad did whatever it took to take care of his new wife including delivering bread and even a stint as an assistant embalmer. It is here that they took in their first of a very long line of stray animals with the adoption of two little abandoned kittens they named Melody and Muffin. Wanting to come back to the Vancouver area, they now had the additional struggle of finding a place that would allow pets… a theme that repeated itself throughout their rental years.

In the early 60’s they found a tiny 1 bedroom apartment in a four-plex at 70th/Granville; basically the fringe of Vancouver heading towards Richmond. It is here that they expanded their little family, first with their son Bruce, followed closely by daughter Erin. The kids took the bedroom while Mum/Dad folded out the sofa each night. Although these early years held great joy, there was also great sorrow. Whilst they were pregnant with their first child, they grappled with a traumatic plane bombing and untimely death of Mum’s 18 year old brother, Bruce Andison. In his honour, they named their son Kenneth Bruce. Even though the impact of this tragedy was vast, Dad was a rock not only for Mum but also for his adopted Andison family. When the kids were 3 and 4 years old, he moved his small family to North Vancouver where they remained until their passing.

Dad, always creative and hardworking, worked many jobs eventually settling into a career in sales with a variety of companies over the years. He was a natural…outgoing, personable, fair and definitely the life of the party! That party had him discover in his late 20s that maybe AA was a better fit. He embraced “Easy Does It” and he strived to live by the following:

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to change the things I can,

And wisdom to know the difference”

He steered his energy away from party and more towards other hobbies. He was always a fisherman but he started running, doing yoga, and playing racquetball, but his true passion was billiards! He was a natural and he worked hard at it, even winning a few tournaments. He played for as long as he could, frequenting various facilities and even when he physically couldn’t play any more these last few years, he regaled all that would listen about his custom cue and his billiard adventures!

For us Dad was always the protector, the fixer, the helper. In his later years he put his energies into helping his family which eventually grew to include his second ‘daughter’ Shelley (Bruce) and second ‘son’ Peter (Erin)….from dog walking/sitting and home maintenance projects, to larger undertakings such as assisting parents and in-laws in their later years, he was selfless and compassionate in his support especially to our grandmother (Louise) when she moved into their home and all the way through her eventual passing in hospice.

When the grandchildren came, there was great joy! Jacob and Justin were Mum (Grandjan) and Dad’s (Grumpy) pride and joy! As a family, all the adults, kids, and 6 dogs would frequently walk the trails of InterRiver and Lynn Canyon…a real “pack”! So many stories…

When his beloved wife began having mysterious symptoms, and eventually diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, he selflessly devoted himself to her care. He meticulously managed her schedule and medications and assisted her physically and mentally during her decline being so resilient to the cruel ravages of her disease.

During COVID, after receiving much needed gall bladder surgery, Dad struggled through a series of mishandled medical events that nearly killed him. Unfortunately, this coincided with our mother’s continuing and worsening physical and mental decline that ultimately culminated with her death in Jan of 2023.

While he grieved her passing deeply, forever the fighter, he tried so hard to regain his health and rebuild his life but luck was not on his side. He kept having heath crisis’ that were both random and serious. Bruce, Erin, Shelley and Peter were always on hand to help, seeing him often and speaking with him daily.

Never wanting to move to a supported healthcare facility, Dad’s wish of passing in the beloved home he built with Mum, was granted on Sunday, August 3rd, 2025 surrounded by his children and grandchildren. We are so sad and miss him dearly, although we are glad he is free of his poor, failing body. We know he is reunited with Mum and all those that passed before him, including all their beloved pets…we see him walking in the field with Mum hand-in-hand under the bright warm light of the summer sun.

“The fate to lose

and forge ahead.

through the burden,

through the death.

The howling

and humble hearts.

know the answers,

find the rest.

Apparently a crystal sea

winds into my hands.

But when I breath,

all I see

melts into the sand

So I′ll be letting go now.”

-“Release” song by Robert Clinton