Barbara Janice Simpson Pope

1943 - 2022

Barbara Janice Pope passed away peacefully at her home on January 15, 2022, after surviving for two years and eight months with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a type of brain cancer.

Also known as BJ, Barbie, and Bobbie, she was born Barbara Janice Simpson in Houston, Texas on November 21, 1943 to Nell and Clifford Simpson. Barbara graduated from Mt. Carmel High School in 1962. She worked as a candy striper for a time and then attended business school, where she learned typing and shorthand. Following business school, she worked at American General Insurance and then Johnson Space Center as a secretary, which is where she met the love of her life, Herman Alexander "Alex" Pope in the summer of 1967, even though they had worked near each other in 1965. The two were married on August 31, 1968, and spent 53 years together.

Barbara loved going out. She had the makeup and wardrobe to prove it. Her preference was to plan things out, but she could easily be convinced to do something spontaneous, whether it be going to the movies or having lunch with her high school friends. She loved visiting her grandchildren, attending their concerts and their sporting events, and spending as much time as she could with them. Barbara loved resale shops and she continued to nurture high school friendships until the twilight of her life. Her fries from Whataburger always had to be fresh. Barbara was a lot of things, but she was first and foremost a mother. She collected photos of babies, vintage baby books, and dolls. Every wall in her home had photos of her family.

Following Alex's retirement from NASA in 2007, Barbara satisfied a lifelong dream by accompanying him on vacations to Europe. Some of her favorite sights were the Church of Saint Michael's in Vienna, Isle of Capri, St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. They took a river cruise from Bern, Switzerland to Brussels, Belgium. She would always say her favorite place to visit was Sofia, Bulgaria, because she felt it was so mysterious, that was their last trip to Europe.

After Barbara's cancer was discovered in 2019, they continued to attend local events as often as they could. Were it not for COVID, they would undoubtedly have traveled more. Family and some friends gathered at her home twice a week to assist with cancer treatment throughout the lockdowns.

Barbara is survived by her husband Alex, daughters Elizabeth Patrolia (husband Allan), Angela Clark (husband Daniel), Rebecca Pope (husband Allen Hebert), son Michael Pope (wife April), brothers Richard and Marlin Simpson, and her beloved grandchildren, Grayson Hebert, Winter Clark, Joey Patrolia, Carter Hebert, Ian Clark, and Seraphina Hebert.

There will be a viewing at 10AM and services at 11AM at Jeter Memorial Funeral Home at 311 N Friendswood Dr. in Friendswood, Texas on Monday, January 24, 2022. This will be followed by a graveside service at Forest Park Lawndale cemetery.