In Memoriam: Evelyn Hull Maddox Pope

Evelyn Hull Maddox Pope, MVC SD ’46, died at her home in Middleburg, VA on April 17, 2014.

Born February 5, 1929 in Washington, DC, Pope was the daughter of Captain Charles Hamilton Maddox, USN, and Isabel (Ramage) Maddox of Washington, DC. She was a graduate of Potomac School, Mount Vernon Seminary and Briarcliff College.

In 1949, she married George Anthony Horkan, Jr. In Washington, Pope was a member of the Junior League, a performer in their Children’s Theatre and a driver for the American Red Cross.

In 1958, Pope moved to Upperville, VA, attending Trinity Episcopal Church and becoming president of its women’s guild there. She later moved to Middleburg, VA and married Dr. Robert E. McConnell, Jr.

Pope worked briefly for two interior designers before opening her own design business Evelyn McConnell, Inc. She was appointed to the Town of Middleburg Planning Commission and was on the vestry of Emmanuel Episcopal Church.

In 1981, she moved to Washington and resumed her family’s involvement with the Washington National Cathedral where her parents had donated the Prayer Book Window in memory of her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Young Ramage. She was on the building committee, was vice-president of the National Cathedral Association until the Cathedral was completed in 1990 and, as Evelyn Maddox McConnell, served as a member of the National Symphony Orchestra’s Board of National Trustees. She was an environmentalist on both the local and global levels.

Pope attended The Aspen Institute, raised funds for Ted Turner’s Better World Society and was a trustee for North America with the United Religions Initiative (URI). With her third husband, Edward Julius Pope, Jr., she became a community organizer to successfully block the proposed Walt Disney theme park threat.

Pope was a member of the Sulgrave Club, the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, the Fauquier and Loudoun Garden Club and an Officer of The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem.

Pope leaves four children, Kathryn H. Willis of Livingston, TX, Elizabeth H. Horkan of Annapolis MD, Anne H. Horkan of Miami, FL, and George A. Horkan, III, of Upperville, VA. She also leaves six grandchildren, Alison Campbell of Washington DC, Joshua Ryan of Upperville, VA, James Ryan of Miami, FL, Emily Moody of Boulder, CO, Anthony Horkan and Brittany Horkan of Upperville VA.

The family requests donations be made to the Piedmont Environmental Council in Pope’s memory.

A full obituary is available online.

Related posts