Jean Pope Stott

Jean Pope Stott, age 85, passed away on April 22, 2026 at the SECU Hospice House in Smithfield.

Born December 20, 1940, Jean grew up in Wilson, NC and attended Ralph L. Fike High School. Jean was the daughter of the late Owen and Christine Pope.

Jean devoted her life to being a Christian wife and mother. She played an active role in her church (Johnston Union Free Will Baptist) for many years – teaching Sunday School, keeping the nursery, arranging flowers, participating in the Ladies’ Auxiliary and teaching crafts in vacation bible school.

As a stay-at-home mother, Jean developed and practiced many domestic skills that served as a backbone to her family’s life and economy: general homemaking, sewing, cooking, gardening, canning, home decorating, upholstery, and crafting.

She was a creative artist and craftsperson who became adept at many kinds of crafts: sewing, tole painting, calligraphy, knitting, crocheting, flower arranging and floral design (working professionally for several years), cake decorating (for the baby showers, birthdays, and anniversaries of family and friends), decoupage, scrapbooking, card making. Some of these, she taught at the community college.

For her grandchildren, visiting Grandmama always involved drawing or coloring or crafting of some sort. She delighted in playing with them. Jean was adept at up-cycling long before it was a rage – creating Christmas wreaths from used thread cones from the Burlington Mills spinning plant that Johnnie brought home for her to experiment with.

After her children left home, Jean became long-term caregiver for, in turn, her father-in-law, Henry G. Stott of Wilson, her mother, Christine S. Pope of Wilson, and her sister, Lois I. Pope of Wilson.

In addition to her parents and parents-in-law, Jean is preceded in death by her husband of 33 years, Johnnie F. Stott (d.1994) and her youngest sister, Lois Pope.

Jean is survived by her children: Lynn Stott (Mary Tolbert) of Palm Springs, CA; Ray Stott (DeDe H. Stott) of Wilson’s Mills, NC; Jay Stott (Kristi L. Stott) of Wake Forest, NC. She is also survived by her seven grandchildren: Erica S. Stafford (Andrew), Josh Stott (Kelsey), Leah S. Lane (Cameron), John Stott (Kate), Michael Stott (Kayla), Genna S. Simmons (David), and Jordyn Stott. In addition, there are nine great-grandchildren with two more on the way.

The oldest of five children, Jean is survived by her brother, Jerry Pope (Linda), her sister Pansie P. Vick (Nicky), and her sister, Joyce P. Jordan (Tommy) – and many nieces, nephews, and cousins, including special friends, Pat Boykin Sasser and Eleanor Sullivan Depew.

The family will receive visitors at Johnston Union Free Will Baptist Church (3575 US-70 Bus. Clayton, NC) on Sunday, April 26 at 1pm. (and at other times at the home of Ray and DeDe in Wilson’s Mills) Services will be held immediately following at 2pm. Services will be followed by interment at Maplewood Cemetery in Wilson (400 College St NE) at approximately 3:30pm.

Flowers are welcome, however, the family requests donations to: the ministries of With Purpose International (General Fund), Gideons International, or the SECU Hospice House in Smithfield.

Online condolences can be made at www.parrishfh.com.