Melvin Ray Pope

Our Beloved Father Ray Pope, 81, took his final breath in the early morning hours of October 6th, 2022, surrounded by his sons and daughters in Farmington, MN. A Missionary to Uruguay, Ray left behind a legacy of faithful service to God and a lifetime of memories as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend.

Melvin Ray Pope born Dec.10, 1940 to Alice and Everett (Ole) Pope, in Cody, WY. Shortly after his birth, his family moved back to their home state of Minnesota where Ray attended Fairmont public schools and graduated in 1958. In middle school, he learned to play the trombone, which he continued to play for church, family, and ministry the rest of his life.

Ray earned a bachelor’s degree in Missions from Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in 1962 and a Master of Divinity from Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Minneapolis, in 1965.  It was during this time he met his sweet “Rose of Sharon” (Sharon Anderson). The two were married June 21, 1962. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2012 shortly before Sharon’s death on Sept. 29. Our parents served as missionaries to Uruguay, South America, for 35 years. While there, they planted churches, started a Bible institute, organized summer camps and tent meetings and founded a Christian school. In 2016, Camp Ebenezer, was re-established under the Pope Children Foundation of Minnesota.

Ray was a resident of Realife Cooperative of Burnsville and spent his winters at the Bibleville Conference Center in Alamo, TX. He will be deeply missed!  He was a member of Bible Baptist Church in Farmington, MN for 20 years.

Ray is survived by his children, Rebecca (Chris Hines) Pope of Stockholm, WI, Deborah (Kent) Pope Burg of Nowthen, MN, Patricia (Daniel) Waseleski of Makinen MN, Timothy (Sandra) Pope and Stephan (Lorena) Pope of Farmington MN.  He leaves a legacy of 13 grandchildren:  Ryan, Lucia, Victoria, Natalia Ray, Julian Ray, Elizabeth, Joshua, Jeremiah, Jeziah, David, Rachel, Jonathan and Adalie; as well as extended family and countless spiritual sons and daughters. 

He was preceded in death by his wife, Sharon Lee (Anderson) Pope; his parents, Everett (Ole) and Alice (Worthley) of Fairmont, MN; and in-laws, Lloyd and Alva (Yahnke) Anderson of Garden City, MN.

Ray was laid to rest at Garden City Cemetery, MN.  Memorial Service will be 1:00 p.m. Oct. 22 at Eden Baptist Church, 1313 State Hwy 13 in Burnsville, MN. In place of flowers, we invite you to make a donation to the Pope Children Foundation at 22740 Olivine St. NW, Nowthen, MN 55330.