Josephine Pope passed away on Monday, December 21, 2020 at Fountain Springs Healthcare Center in Rapid City, South Dakota. She will be cremated and buried with her husband Vern E. Pope Sr. at the National Cemetery. Her wishes were to not have any services. There will be a private ceremony with the children before the burial. In leu of flowers or gifts, please make donations at United Methodist Church, Boys Club or the Humane Society.

Josephine D. Bartunek, daughter of Joe E. and Rose E. (Krcil) Bartunek, was born March 19, 1938 in Wagner, SD.  She was raised on a farm just outside Wagner and attained her GED in 1978. She married Vern Pope in Wagner on February of 1955 and lived there for two years. They moved to Rapid City, SD and spent the rest of their lives.  Jo and Vern had three sons, Vern Pope Jr. of Rapid City, SD, David Pope of Black Hawk, SD, Larry Pope of Rapid City, SD, and one daughter, Betty Kobes of Rapid City, South Dakota.

Josephine loved collecting small, ornamental bells. She and Dad loved to play cards, dance and ride motorcycles. Over the years, they had many dogs and cats which they loved almost as much as their children. She was a supporter of the Boys Club, Humane Society and her church, First United Methodist Church of Rapid City. She worked many years for the Rapid City School system. First as a cafeteria cook at several Rapid City Schools, then as a Janitor at Stevens High School. She was well liked by the teachers and kids. She retired from the school system in 2003. She then went to work as a greeter at Rapid City Walmart for about eight years.  Jo will be remembered as a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother and friend to everyone she met.

Josephine was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Joey Bartunek of Wagner, SD and her sister, Leona Vellek of Scotland, SD. She has a brother Clarence Bartunek of Tabor, SD. Besides her four children, Josephine had seven grandchildren. They are Jennifer Renner of Summerset, SD, Jeremiah Kobes of Omaha, Nebraska, Thomas Kobes of Bradenton, Florida, Christopher Kobes of Overland Park, Kansas, Megan Pope of Syracuse, Kansas, Ron Pope of Watertown, South Dakota, and Levi Ellis of Eagle, Colorado. Josephine had six great grandchildren.