John Joseph Popular II or “Big Daddy”, 86, beloved friend, husband, father, and grandfather passed away in his Clearwater home June 14, 2021. Born on November 19, 1934 in Detroit, Michigan to John Joseph Popular and Crata Tippett Popular.
John began his college experience at Washington Lee in 1952 where he was an active member of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. In 1954, John served 2 years in the Navy and soon married Patricia Eddins from Bluefield, WV. He resumed his college education in 1956 back in his hometown of Williamsburg, VA at the College of William and Mary. He continued as a graduate student of Cornell University where he earned a Master’s Degree in Industrial Relations. His lifetime career in labor-management relations began in 1960 with Anaconda American Brass and he joined the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service as a federal mediator in 1966. In 1973 he moved on to FMCS Washington, DC to “jump start” a national “preventative mediation” to help unions and management develop cooperative working relations. He was most proud of his development of Relationships By Objectives (RBO) conflict resolution process. He soon grew his own business as a neutral consultant in labor-management relations in both the United States and Canada. Helping to develop cooperative partnerships lasted to his retirement which was just last year at the age of 85.
John was a central presence at all family gatherings, weddings, holidays, graduations, and children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events. Most recently, he was excited to learn that he would be a “GREAT” grandfather. The beach, sunsets, letter writing, reading, dancing, American history, HIS history, trains, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, storytelling, Pilates, and ice-cream were all near and dear to him, but his pride and joy came from the family and life that he and his late wife, Patricia, built together.
John is survived by his 4 daughters Vicki Popular-Mallon(Tim), Donna Socha, Karen Popular-Lawhorn(John), and Tricia Fisher(Jim) and his 5 grandchildren Courtney, Haley(Kenny), Tate and Lauren Marie and Davis.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 19, 2021 at 9:00am at Anona United Methodist Church. Immediately following the service, a celebration of life for family and friends will be held at the Serenity Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations to Florida United Methodist Children’s Home are welcome.
