Barbara Popp

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Barbara Ann Daniels Popp entered her heavenly home Monday, July 18, 2022, at The Legacy at South Plains in Lubbock.

She was born Nov. 15, 1937, in Red Oak, Iowa, the daughter of William Hopson and Kathryn Huber Daniels. She moved with her family to Cape Girardeau in 1947 and was a graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School, Class of 1955.

Barbara married her high school sweetheart, John W. Popp Jr., on May 18, 1957, at the First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. They celebrated 59-plus years of marriage until John's passing July 7, 2016.

John and Barbara first lived in Amite, Louisiana, after their marriage, where John worked for a large farm operation there. In October 1957 they moved back to Missouri, onto the Cargle Lumber Co. farm, next to the Seabaugh Christmas Tree farm, between Oak Ridge and Old Appleton. They rented that farm, where they raised livestock (notably sheep), field crops and hay. While living on the farm, the family attended the First Baptist Church in Oak Ridge, where Barbara first became active as an adult in church activities. She also joined the Oak Ridge Homemakers Club and was a member for 60 years.

In June 1968 John began working for Procter & Gamble Co., and the family moved to Cheboygan, Michigan, for a year. Returning to Missouri in June 1969, John was one of the Cape Girardeau P & G plant start-up managers, where he continued working until 1984. They moved into their brand-new home in Whispering Heights subdivision in 1970, where John and Barbara lived until 2010, when they built another new home in Terrace Park Estates in Jackson. Barbara moved to Lubbock in November 2020 to be close to family because of declining health.

Shortly after joining the Oak Ridge Homemakers Club, Barbara was encouraged to participate in a "pen pal program" with other farm homemakers from around the world. This led to a friendship with Rae Horn from New Zealand that continues to this day. The two "pen pals" wrote faithfully, one letter a month, for 55 years. The two couples have visited in each other's homes/countries a total of five times, starting with the Horn's first visit to the United States in July 1988.

Shortly after moving to Fruitland in 1970, the family began attending the First Baptist Church in Jackson. Both John and Barbara were active members there, together teaching fourth-grade Sunday school for years. Barbara served in a number of positions at First Baptist in Jackson: as the minister of education, GA & Acteen leader, Women's Missionary Union (WMU) director and Baptist Women's president. She also held numerous offices in the Cape Girardeau Baptist Association, as well as the state WMU, capped by the Missouri WMU state president from 1996 to 1999. Her active missionary work led her to go overseas to the countries of Belarus (twice), South Korea and Lesotho to support mission church work in these countries.

Barbara was also active in the General Federated Womens Clubs (GFWC) for many years. She was a charter member of Scope Club in Cape Girardeau and held numerous local, state and national offices, including the Missouri state president and as a GFWC national junior director. She loved volunteering for her church and with the GFWC, but also found time to volunteer at local places like the Oliver House in Jackson and the Red House in Cape Girardeau. She was a member of PEO - Chapter DJ in Jackson. She also volunteered for the Jackson Heritage Association and the Jackson Ministerial Alliance, as well as other local charitable groups. You just asked; she would help.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents; husband of 59 years, John Popp in 2016; and a son, David W. Popp in 2017.

Loving survivors are a son Steve (Terri) Popp of Lubbock; daughter Betsy (Norman) Schultz of Charlotte, North Carolina; brother. Michael (Bonnie) Daniels of Snowmass Village, Colorado; sister-in-law, Cathi Popp Smith of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and daughter-in-law, Aimee Popp of O'Fallon, Illinois. She has nine grandchildren, Jamie Kiefer, Blake (Shea) Popp, Air Force Maj. Norman Popp, Earl (Caleigh) Popp, David Popp Jr., Matt Popp, Amelia Popp, Navy Ensign Elliott Schultz and Army Cadet Ian Schultz; and six great-grandchildren, Evan and Owen Kiefer, London, Sydney and Caleb Popp, and Pearl Popp.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home and also one prior to the memorial service.

Barbara's memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. A private graveside service will be held at a later date, where Barbara will be interred next to her husband, John, at Cape Girardeau County Memorial Park Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family gratefully suggests memorial donations in memory of Barbara be made to the Missouri Baptist Convention, c/o Women's Missionary Union, 400 E. High St., Jefferson City, MO 64101 (www.mobaptist.org), or Missouri Girls Town, 8548 Jade Road, Kingdom City, MO 65282 (www.missourigirlstown.org).