Gary Tusten Pope

“You'll have a better time if you're invited" was often-repeated, excellent fatherly advice, and on May 8, 2026, the Lord invited Gary Pope to Heaven after a courageous and tremendously good-humored battle with lymphoma. A master conversationalist of wide and varied interests, he illuminated cocktail parties, family gatherings, and dinner parties with his wit and humor. He gave freely of his time to family, friends, and clients and will be remembered for his enormous intellect and warmth of personality. 

Gary Tusten Pope was born to Mary Waties Lumpkin Pope and Thomas Harrington Pope, Jr. on August 15, 1949, at Baptist Hospital in downtown Columbia and was raised in Newberry, South Carolina until attending Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. He was graduated from The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, and Washington and Lee University School of Law in Lexington, Virginia. Following law school, he joined his father and brother, as well as many previous generations of his family, in the practice of law, initially joining the family firm in Newberry, then serving as Newberry County Attorney, and finally joining his wife and son at what is now the Pope Flynn firm in Columbia. His legal career, like his interests, mirrored his range. He untangled byzantine fee-in-lieu of tax arrangements, consolidated fire districts, and cleared the way for the sale of municipal sewer systems. He represented clients, and often prevailed, at the Supreme Court of South Carolina on criminal, civil, and municipal matters. His last case before the Supreme Court was decided in his client's favor without the need for oral argument. 

He was admitted to practice before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, and the Supreme Courts of South Carolina and Virginia. He was a permanent member of the Judicial Conference of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and an emeritus member of the John Belton O'Neall Inn of Court. In 2023 he was recognized by the Supreme Court of South Carolina for his pro bono activities. Until the very end he remembered the question he missed on the LSAT and was a lifelong member of Mensa. He particularly enjoyed being a member of the Ex Libris Society at the University of South Carolina, mentoring law students, and bolstering the University of South Carolina's rare book collection through his work as a trustee of the Pope-Brown Foundation. 

Gary Pope was happiest at home. A lover of books, dogs, and how-to videos on YouTube, he could spend hours in his library by the fire regaling his loved ones with stories of youthful summers in Nantucket, family lore, and South Carolina history. You could learn as much there as your schedule the next day would allow, stores of Scotch permitting. He could and would fix anything, though his devotion to tinkering could not be rushed-he once spent 1,200 days rewiring his daughter-in-law's chandelier and five years repairing his daughter's car. Photography, his chief avocation, led to many of his favorite adventures and produced many memories his family and friends will treasure. 

His family is indebted to him for his example and the integrity he modeled in matters great and small, and sorry to lose his dry commentary on those he thought didn't clear the bar. 

Gary was predeceased by his parents, Way Way and Tom Pope. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Margaret Christian Pope, his children Helen Harrington Pinkston-Pope (wife Loretta Pinkston-Pope), Gary Tusten Pope, Jr. (wife Faith Marett Pope), Elizabeth Pope Williamson (husband Jay Francis Williamson), and Ann Stelling Pope. Gary's four grandchildren include Caroline Harrington Taylor, Grady Randolph Pope, Charles Harrington Pope, and Richard Foster Williamson. Gary is also survived by a vibrant larger family of nieces, nephews, and two siblings: Waties Pope Kennedy (husband Robert) and Thomas Harrington Pope III (wife Adele). 

A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at noon at Rosemont Cemetery in Newberry, South Carolina, followed by a reception at the home of Tom and Adele Pope (1228 Walnut Street, Newberry, South Carolina). 

In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to the Pope-Brown Foundation, P.O. Box 190, Newberry, SC 29108.

Memories and messages of condolence may be shared here on Gary's tribute page.

Whitaker Funeral Home is honored to serve the Pope family.