Shirley Jean (Pope) Seals

Sylacauga, Alabama - A precious one from us is gone, a voice we love is still, and a place is vacant in our home that can never be filled. On April 21, 1954 Joe Manuel Pope and Annie Pearl Menefield Pope became the proud parents of Shirley Jean Pope - Seals in Talladega County, Alabama.  On May 18, 2025 our beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt left an unforgettable impact on the hearts of everyone she touched, as she peacefully departed this life at the age of 71.

Affectionately known as Jean, she was a 1972 graduate of Sylacauga High School where she thrived with excellence. She continued her education and pursued a bachelors degree from Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama.  And later pursued a master's degree from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan; and an E.D.S degree from University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama.

Jean was a faithful and dedicated member of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Sylacauga, Alabama. She was a faithful employee with Talladega County Schools for over 30 years of service, where she retired in 2014.

Jean fought a good fight, she finished her course, and she kept the faith through her journey. She was a beloved educator who touched countless lives.  She dedicated her career to inspiring young minds and fostering a love of learning. She was full of wisdom, resilience, and deep devotion, always standing firm in her beliefs.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters, Mary P. Stone and Deborah Stockdale, and brother, Anthony Pope.

Jean’s beacon of light will continue to shine on through the lives of those she loved and those who loved her: two loving daughters, Yulanda (Richard) Duckworth and Jasmine (Edward) Ford; grandchildren, Kennedy Bowman, Kassidy Bowman, Ethan Ford, and Evan Ford; loving sister, Annie R. Datcher; loving brothers, Manuel (Renee) Pope, Michael (Aletha) Pope, and Cedric Pope; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, church family and friends.

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