Paula Jean Myers-Pope

Paula Jean Myers-Pope (1934 – 1995) was a diver and Olympic medalist from LaVerne, California. She attended high school in West Covina, California, then entered USC on a leadership scholarship as there were no collegiate women's athletic programs at the time. P.J. (as she was called by her friends) was inducted into the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority in 1954 and married Karl Pope(a USC basketball player) in 1959. They were married until her death 38 years later in 1995. P.J.and Karl produced five children: Thane Dean Pope, Darci Ann Pope, Stacy Lee Pope, Sydnee Leeann Pope, and Derek Lindsey Pope. She graduated from USC with a degree in Dental Hygiene and worked part time at her profession for over 20 years.

At 15 years of age, she received a silver medal in the 10 meter tower event at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, a bronze medal in the same event at the 1956 Summer Olympicsin Melbourne, Australia, and two silver medals at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy, one in the 3 meter springboard event and one in the 10M tower.^[1] She won two gold medals at the 1959 Pan American Games, in both platform and springboard. She has been inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

After the Olympics, P.J.and her husband Karl and family, moved to Ojai, California where they developed the Ojai Valley Racquet Club and operated it together for 22 years.

References