Margo C. Pope is a first-generation native Floridian whose parents had the good fortune in 1946 to settle in St. Augustine, the nation's oldest permanently occupied European settlement in today's United States of America, They were Connecticut natives who came here after World War II. They taught their three children the value of hard work, volunteer community service, and to love their city’s history.
"I love everything about living in the nation's oldest city. I grew up during the time St. Augustine was planning and carrying out its 400th anniversary celebration. I was totally involved in it from writing about it in my school column, making it the theme of our yearbook, and dressing in costume for the Days in Spain Fiesta and the Easter Festival Royal Family and parade.
“I still participate in historic presentations of vintage decorative hand-stitchery with the Textile Arts Guild of St. Augustine, and am a member of the Woman’s Exchange of St. Augustine where I serve as a history chair and as a docent for the 1750 Pena-Peck House.
Pope retired in August after 42 years, two months and one day with The St. Augustine Record and The Florida Times-Union. Her last job was The Record’s opinion editor for 5 ½ years. Her work brought recognition from The Florida Society of Newspaper Editors, the Florida Press Club and the First Amendment Foundation.
“I am passionate about protecting sunshine in government and keeping citizens focused on how our tax dollars are spent. I am all about authentic history and protection of our valued assets, the buildings and artifacts that helped shape the St. Augustine and the Florida we have today.
“We live in paradise and that means, too, that our quality of life is as important as our number one economic driver, tourism, and the millions of visitors with whom we share space.”
Pope is a graduate of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications and serves on its Journalism Advisory Council. She was inducted into The Independent Florida Alligator Hall of Fame in 2001.
Pope and her husband Alyn live in St. Augustine but spend time in Tampa where their son Ned and his family live.
