John Popenoe
1929-2025
John Popenoe, 96, of Little Orleans, Md., passed away on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 in Richmond, Va.
He was born on January 24, 1929 in Altadena, Los Angeles Co., Calif., the son of Paul Bowman Popenoe and Betty Popenoe (née Stankovitch).
He was preceded in death by his wife Geraldine Virginia Mann of Hancock, Md., after 64 years of marriage.
John was the scion of a prominent horticulture family involved in the production of avocados and dates in California, and plant exploration in central and south America. He had a Batchelor of Science degree in horticulture from the University of California, and Master of Science and PhD degrees in horticulture from the University of Maryland where he met his wife while researching orchards in Hancock, Md.
He had a stint in the Army during the Korean War, then was hired as a researcher for the USDA in Florida. From there he worked as a fruit researcher with the University of Florida at the Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, Fla. In 1964 he started as the director of Fairchild Tropical Garden where he worked until 1991 when he retired to Hancock, Md. His work included plant exploration, collection, and documentation in the Bahamas and various natural areas in Florida.
In his retirement he continued with his experience in management as the Director of the Board for Tri-State Community Health Center in Hancock, Md. He also was a volunteer Level Walker for the C&O Canal Association, a volunteer and member of the Appalachian Trail Club, and assisted University of Maryland research on persimmons, pawpaws and chestnuts. With the Nature Conservancy he blazed trails on the Sidling Hill Preserve, served as a trail guide, assisted with replanting with native plants, and continued plant exploration and documentation on the Preserve. He had a passion for fruit and his orchard in Little Orleans, Md., reflected that with a collection of just about every fruit that could be grown in the area, including many no one had ever heard of. His favorite was the pawpaw, and his collection included seedlings from his work with pawpaw breeders and walks in the woods, as well as many of the newest named improved selections.
He is survived by his four daughters: Debbie (Little Orleans), Natalie Welker (Eric) (Lexington, N.C.), Juanita, (Seattle, Wash.), Jennifer Popenoe-Cannell (Bill) (Richmond, Va.), five grandsons, one granddaughter, three great granddaughters, one great grandson and one brother David Popenoe of Princeton, N.J. He was preceded in death by his two older brothers Paul Jr. and Oliver Popenoe.
Services will be private.
