Valimer Popin

Valimer Popin passed away at The Club July 19th, ten weeks after a traumatic brain injury, from a fall.

Born on 12/13/38 to Anna & Lester Popin, originally from Serbia, Val, his 2 brothers Marko & Bob (deceased), sister Olga, resided in Brooklyn, NY. Growing up in a tough neighborhood, confronted with gangs, his parents transferred him to an all-boys Catholic high school. In 1960, Val enlisted into the Army, serving in Special Forces & stationed in Germany, testing for the Honest John Missile. While leaving to get his squadron coffee, his barrack exploded, killing his fellow servicemen.

Val was always grateful to the good Lord for His divine protection. After the Army, he attended two years of college in Orlando, worked for Grants, various jobs & became an apprentice in the Sheet Metal Workers’ Union as a layout designer & foreman. In 1967 he met me, the love of his life, Barbara Menzel. We married on 07/12/69. He left the sheet metal trade to start his own sit-down bagel deli, which led to opening several additional successful bagel delis & two Mongolian Barbecue/Steak Restaurants.

After a quadruple bypass at age 56, he retired. Becoming a resident of The Villages on 07/14/99, Val’s love of playing & teaching golf. Becoming a certified USGA golf teaching pro, he then gave lessons at Lady Lake Driving Range for many years. A member of the Lion’s Club, American Legion, & consultant to Dale Cebert of Cebert Wealth.

Val is survived by his wife, Barbara & his 3 children, Chris (Ferrel Gas Employee), Sharon (Speech Pathologist), and Bryan (Recording Artist/Concert Pianist), along with their spouses, Susan, Billy & Veronica. Val was blessed with 13 grandchildren – Dylan, Jesse, Joshua, Savannah, Caleb, Sean, Tommy, Bella, Max, Sophie, Gigi, Joey & Matthew, ranging from 2 to 24 years.

Val has been a member of Village View Community Church in Summerfield for 15 years. He served on the elder board, was a Life Group Leader for 13 years and helped cook Wednesday night dinners. He fought hard to recover, but the Lord had other plans for him & took him “home” to spend eternity in Heaven. Val enjoyed being with his wife and family, teaching golf lessons & playing golf with me & his friends. He loved telling jokes & making people laugh. He was a winner of souls for the Lord.

Not being able to see me in the rehab facilities for 45+ days was beyond difficult, but God did a miracle on our 51st anniversary, July 12th. He developed a nosebleed twice & on that Sunday they could not stop the bleed & sent him to The Villages Hospital where I was able to visit with him for over 9 hours. We give God all the glory for that precious moment & reunion … it was the compassion of God, orchestrated perfectly. He was my best friend, best husband ever & my one and only, an amazing father & grandfather, who has left a Godly legacy that will continue to live on with his family to exemplify for many generations.