Arthur (Wayne) Pope

Arthur (Wayne) Pope, 94, formerly of Watertown, South Dakota, passed away July 27 at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Vivian Mueller of Hillsboro, his sister, survives him.

A celebration of life will be held 3 to 6 p.m. Sept. 5 at Prairie Winds Golf Course, Watertown.

Wayne was born Feb. 27, 1921, in Little River, Kansas, to Rueben and Enid Pope. He married the love of his life, Doris (Donna) Bratton, on March 11, 1945, in Yuma, Arizona. They just celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary this year.

Wayne graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in business agriculture and was a soil conservationist for the U.S. government for 31 years before retiring in 1976. His second career was working for the Northern Border Pipeline as the “right-a-way-man.” He retired for the second time in 2007.

He was a World War II veteran in the Air Force, and he was an avid golfer. He lived for golf and played almost daily until he had to stop at the age of 90. He had the honor of getting two hole-in-ones throughout his lifetime.

Wayne was a past Grand Master of his Masonic Lodge, Commander of the American Legion, and Exalted Ruler of the Elks.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters, Ethelyn and Lucille, his brothers, Donnie and Warren, and his grandson, Benjamin Jostad.

Along with Mueller, survivors include his wife, Donna; his daughter Mary (Dr. James) Labesky of Sioux Falls; his son, Jim Pope of Greenville, Texas; a brother, Randall (Kathy) Pope of Gatlinburg, Tennessee; his granddaughters, Jennifer Jostad (Adam) Findell of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Alexandra Pope of Greenville, Texas. He also is survived by his beautiful great-grandchildren, Jackson Jostad of Brookings, South Dakota, and Anna and Sara Findell of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and many nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be directed to the Congregational Church of Watertown or the Avera Home Hospice by visiting www.millerfh.com.