Mary Cohee Burnett Pope (11-3-46 to 6-12-24), better known as Little Jo or Jody, passed away peacefully at Amorem/Robbins Hospice Center after a long battle with congestive heart failure.

Born in Caldwell County, she grew up in Winston Salem and lived in Indiana and North Carolina until she reunited with her childhood sweetheart, her beloved Billy Pope. They married in 2001 and lived in Jacksonville, FL before returning to live in North Carolina.

Little Jo held many jobs throughout her life, always working hard to provide for her children.  But she always dreamed of becoming a long distance truck driver, a dream she finally achieved in 1994.  Little Jo loved driving and even became an instructor - a testament to her strength and tenacity.

Beloved mother, grandmother, sister and friend, Jody brought light to every person she met and she never met a stranger.  She was strong, kind, loyal and generous. The world will forever be a grayer place without her smile to brighten the day.

She is preceded in death by her parents - Joseph Cohee and Elmina Storie; daughter - Cynthia O'Neal, husband - William Pope, grandson - Joseph Duckett and brother - Tony Cohee.

She is survived by her sons - Robert O'Neal and Terry Burnett, daughters - Denise Boone and Summer Barham, sister - Tina Moser, stepsons - Timothy Burnett, Michael Pope, Randy Pope and Hung Nguyen, grandchildren - Triston Gibson, Gwendolynn Ward, Bradley Sutton, Alex Williams, Kaitlynn Burnett, Cerys Barham, Callum Barham and Caroline Barham and great-granchildren - Walker Ward, Blakleigh Trivett, and Ryleigh Ward.

The family will hold a Celebration of Life at 1pm on June 30 at the cabin on Staircase Mountain.  Contact Tina Moser for location details or meet at Market Basket on Beecher Anderson Road at 12pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations will be accepted for Amorem/Robbins Hospice Center who took such good care of Little Jo at the end of her life and helped to make her death a peaceful experience.

Online condolences may be left at www.greer-mcelveenfuneralhome.com

Greer-McElveen Funeral Home and Crematory is assisting the Pope family.