Billy Pope

Billy Wayne Pope was born Friday, January 27, 1950, in Sayre, Beckham County, Oklahoma, to Bennie Ernest Pope and Stacy Genevieve (Cotton) Pope. He went to be with Jesus on Saturday, March 14th 2026 in Sapulpa, Creek County, Oklahoma after a short battle with Pancreatic Cancer and a MRSA infection. He was raised on a farm in Sweetwater, Oklahoma where he learned the value of hard work and family. He graduated from Sweetwater High School in 1968. It was in Sayre that Billy first saw the woman who would become the love of his life. One day he noticed a beautiful blonde walking to Sonic wearing a white mini skirt and white go-go boots. He often said it was love at first sight. Billy married Mary Louise Ray on Sunday, December 21, 1969, at the Sayre Church of Christ. As the couple went to sign their marriage license, Billy’s father told them, “Son, it starts here. Don’t let it end here.” Billy took that advice to heart, and he and Mary shared 56 years of marriage. After high school, Billy attended Sayre Junior College, studying electrical, electronics, and communications engineering. He later served six years in the Oklahoma National Guard He earned the rank of Supply Sergeant and achieved the qualifications as a Rifle Expert and the rank of E-6 and earning recognition as a sharpshooter. Billy worked many jobs throughout his life, from picking cotton on farms around Sweetwater to working in the produce department at United Food Market and managing movie theaters and drive-ins in Oklahoma and Texas. He enjoyed meeting people and made many friends along the way. He later built a respected career in the construction and building code industry. Billy held Unlimited Contractor licenses in Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical, and was licensed as an Unlimited Commercial and Residential Inspector in Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical fields. He was particularly proud to hold the Number One Inspectors License in the State of Oklahoma, which he maintained until this year. Billy worked as a Building Inspector for the City of Weatherford before serving as a regional manager with Building Officials and Code Administrators, traveling throughout surrounding states to survey and teach code education. He later worked with the International Code Council and eventually served as Chief Executive Officer of the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission until his retirement. Billy was known for his playful sense of humor. He loved a good practical joke, especially twisting a tissue into a little “tornado” and sneaking around a corner to tickle someone’s ear, usually followed by the familiar cry of “Billy, stop that!” While he loved to make people laugh, he also had a generous heart and was always willing to help those in need, particularly widows and single mothers. Billy loved classic cars and enjoyed working on them whenever he could. Among family and friends he was affectionately known as “Mr. Fix-It,” as he always seemed to have a solution for almost any problem. In his spare time, he enjoyed watching travel programs, westerns, military shows, and the news. Billy is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Pope, and their son, Aaron Pope, both of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; his sister Mary Lou Pope of Weatherford, Oklahoma; his sister Bobbie Birdwell of Yukon, Oklahoma; and his brother Glen Pope and wife Sharlene of Weatherford, Oklahoma. He is also survived by his brothers-in-law Jim Ray and wife Debbie of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Joe Ray and wife Pat of Enid, Oklahoma; sister-in-law Patty Collins and husband Dan of Westport, Oklahoma; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family members, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bennie Ernest Pope and Stacy Genevieve Pope, and by his sisters Airleen Anderson and Bonnie Kay Stone. He will be remembered for his generous spirit, his love of family, and the way he could fix nearly anything while always finding a way to make people smile.

Tributes

Billy Pope

January 27, 1950 - March 14, 2026