Michael Keith Pope, beloved husband and father, of Orient, Ohio, died suddenly on October 5, 2026. He was 68.
An eternal optimist with a constant smile to welcome friends and strangers alike, Mike was born to Roger and Shirley Pope in 1958, in Washington Court House, OH. He graduated from Washington Senior High School in 1976, then went on to study electrical engineering at The Ohio State University. After graduating in 1980, he began his practice of electrical engineering for Ohio Edison in Springfield, OH, and then for AEP in Columbus. A Professional Engineer (PE) and a member of IEEE, he later worked for Burgess and Niple, Ltd. in Columbus, before joining the City of Westerville Electric Division, where he worked for 29 years. In addition, he established MK Pope Engineering in 1999, offering a wide variety of engineering and consulting services to local communities.
Mike’s greatest love and joy was his family. He married Lana Eakins, his wife of more than 28 years, in 1998, and welcomed his sons, Landon in 2000 and Liam in 2004. He is also survived by his sisters, Sue Andrews and Tammy (Dave) Ulliman.
He was predeceased by his parents, brother Brian, and father- and mother-in-law Dale and Betty Eakins. He leaves behind many friends to remember him and his uplifting laugh and positive attitude.
A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 1:00 pm at the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home, 554 Washington Ave., Washington Court House with Mell Wickensimer officiating. Burial will follow in the Highlawn Cemetery.
Visitation will take place on Monday, October 12 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at Kirkpatrick Funeral Home.
www.kirkpatrickfuneralhome.com
Full service details and the family guest book are available at Kirkpatrick Funeral Home.