It is with a heavy heart that the family of Lynn Elmo Pope announce his passing of natural causes on December 24, 2017 at 11:10 p.m. He was just 18 months shy of his 100th birthday. Lynn was born to parents Claude and Marie (Blevins) Pope on June 2, 1919 in Enid, OK, in a sod house. He is survived by sons Joe (Barb) of Sumner and Scott (Gail) of Enumclaw, eight grandchildren (Joelle, Larry, Wes, Annette, Megan, Brad, Brianna and Eric), and 15 great grandchildren (Makenna, Benjamin, Chase, Ketra, Rylee, Oliver, Elliot, Claudia, Sam, Fiona, Ellie, Guthrie, Carter, Ella and Lenora). He was preceded in death by his wife Virginia (2008), older brother Glen (1921), son Claude (1987), sister Thelma (2003) and brother-in-law Harold (1999).

When Lynn was six, the family moved to Walla Walla, WA and later to Vader, WA. In school, Lynn was an all-star football, basketball and baseball player at Winlock High School, earning a football scholarship to Linfield College. While in high school, he met the love of his life, Virginia Champ, whom he was married to for 67 years.

During World War II, Lynn worked as a switchman for the Northern Pacific Railroad at Auburn, WA. Later he opened a barber shop in the front of his home in nearby Algona; he operated the barber shop for 64 years. In addition to his work as a barber, Lynn and Virgina sold Farmer’s Insurance and bought and sold property around South King County. From 1960-1965, they owned the Greenwater Lodge in Greenwater, WA, consisting of a gas station, a restaurant, and a tiny motel.

Lynn was an avid hunter (elk, deer and moose), runner, golfer and outdoor enthusiast. He was a Little League coach to countless boys over the years and served for 13 years on the Auburn School Board. One of his proudest achievements was helping to launch the Green River Junior College in Auburn. Lynn was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Auburn and served on the Pacific First Federal Board of Trustees.

Always full of colorful sayings, Lynn would say things like “It isn’t measured in money; it’s measured in family. That’s about as good a swan song as I can think of. I’ve been a very lucky man.” Services will be held at Messiah Lutheran Church in Auburn at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 13, 2018.