Helen P. Shropshire
Helen Pope Shropshire, our beloved wife, mother, sister-in-law, aunt and great aunt quietly answered her Savior’s call on her life and completed her service to others peacefully on May 12, 2011. She was predeceased by her parents, Darlie Parker and Saint Julian Pope; her six siblings, sisters: Elsie Hudgens, Louise Jackson and Doris Ridley; brothers: Robert, Floyd and Willie Pope.
Helen embraced her motto of “Helping People through Service,” and she did so willingly after her formal training at Southampton County Training High School. She graduated from Virginia State College, Petersburg, VA earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Education and a Masters of Arts in School Administration and Supervision from Hampton University, Hampton, VA, then began her twenty-eight year teaching career at various Tidewater Public School systems before becoming a principal with the Norfolk Public School system.
Helen accepted Christ as her personal Savior at an early age at the Shiloh Baptist Church in Boykins, VA. Her faithful and serving spirit to her Savior was further witnessed at the Historic First Baptist Church, Bute St. Norfolk. Helen served on various ministries which included the Missionary Board, READY Academy and Shepherd’s Village.
Upon her retirement in 1990, her commitment to service deepened to various organizations, to include her lifetime membership to Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (1956-2011), L & J Gardens Civic League, Cox Cable Network, NAACP, William A. Hunton YMCA, United Council of Citizens & Civic League of Virginia Beach, Virginia One Church One Child, UNCF-Hampton Roads, Virginia Beach Human Rights Commission, National Epicureans, Inc. Norfolk Chapter, various Voter Registration Campaigns and the Southeastern VA Job Training Administration.
Having many demands on her time, Helen continued to make precious moments for hobbies and family which included fishing, cooking and gatherings to serve others at the “Happy Home of Robert and Helen Shropshire”. They hosted many enjoyable and educational events. Each event had themes too numerous to mention and occasionally her family would be featured in the local news. She loved her family and friends unconditionally, she loved teaching and imprinting her knowledge and leadership on others in her church, her community, her city and her state. Her service made a difference and she will be sorely missed.
She is survived by her devoted husband of fifty-five years, Robert Lee Shropshire and to that beautiful union, one son, Lenbert Timothy Shropshire; three sisters-in-law, Hattie Pope, Daisy Dawkins and Betty Clark; one brother-in-law, Joseph Jackson; and a host of many other precious family members and friends.
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