James Michael Popa

Everyone should have a devoted son, loving brother, and best pal like James Michael Popa, known to family and friends as “Jay.” After a brave two-year battle with esophageal cancer that metastasized to his liver and bones, Jay passed away August 17, 2024 at age 70.

He was born in and grew up in Alliance, and was a gentle, kind, generous, thoughtful, and humble person to all, with a beautiful soul. 

All his life Jay liked to draw and, even while in ill health recently attended art classes at the North Canton Public Library. His favorite color was gold. While he appreciated stylish designs, furniture and decorations, he preferred shopping at Goodwill and other thrift stores. He enjoyed music ranging from the Motown sound of The Supremes and The Temptations to the big bands of Artie Shaw and Glenn Miller, and spent time (especially after he retired) watching dozens of old and new TV shows such as “Dark Shadows,” “NCIS,” and “The Masked Singer.” Comedies like “The Three Stooges,” “The Munsters,” “The Beverly Hillbillies,” and “Laverne and Shirley” made him laugh. And he loved dogs. 

A graduate of Alliance High School and Bowling Green State University, he had a long career as a Computer Programmer with Central Trust (later Bank One) in Canton, then, after moving to Columbus, worked for Riverside Methodist Hospital there.

He was preceded in death by his father, Aurel Howard Popa (1993); his mother, Mildred Carol Crist Popa (2020); and several aunts and uncles including Tillie Stahl (1999) and Sophie Teeters (2014).

Those left to cherish his memory are two brothers, Stephen of Aloha, Oregon, and Christopher (Jose Luis) of Chicago, Illinois; several cousins including Carolyn Frank of Alliance, Cheryl Citino of Salem, Margie (Danny) Engle of Salem, and Diane (David) Kieffer of Delaware, Ohio; and other extended family members.

Thank you to Dr. Amir Iqbal and the ladies of the Oncology and Palliative Care departments at Aultman Alliance Community Hospital, as well as the staff of Aultman Woodlawn in Canton and Christopher J. Graff of Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral home in Alliance.

Following a private family service, Jay was laid to rest in Alliance City Cemetery.