World News and a magazine distributor, Distribution Services Inc. It was sold in 1989 by his heirs to the company that would become American Media. From 1971 to 1988 during the holiday season, Pope put up a large decorated Christmas tree, which towered over the corporate headquarters of the National Enquirer in Lantana and at times was considered the largest such tree in the world. This tradition was discontinued after Pope died in 1988. Personal life Pope married his first wife, Patricia McManus, in 1951. After the birth of their son, Generoso Pope III, she fell into a deep postpartum depression and was ultimately diagnosed as schizophrenic. In 1961, Pope divorced McManus and married Edith Moore, a former model; when McManus heard the news, she committed suicide. Pope and Moore had a daughter, Gina, and divorced in 1965. That same year, he married his third wife, Lois Berrodin, and had two children, Paul (b. 1967) and Lorraine (b. 1972); he also adopted Lois' two daughters, Michele and Maria. Rumors of Mafia connections dogged him his whole life. Pope lived in a self-designed beachfront home in Manalapan, Florida. Death Pope suffered a heart attack at the age of 61 at his Manalapan mansion and died en route to the hospital — in an ambulance that he had donated to the town. He was interred at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Cemetery in Royal Palm Beach, Florida. His widow Lois remains a well-known South Florida philanthropist, specializing in medical research, humanitarian relief, and the performing arts. References Thanks, PG: Memoirs of a Tabloid Reporter, by former National Enquirer John Isaac Jones. This book, dedicated to Generoso Pope Jr., recounts the life and adventures of reporter Billy Don Johnson during his 20 years (1975-1995) working for the fictional tabloid The National Insider. External links Generoso Pope, Jr. at Find A Grave An interview with Paul Pope (Generoso's son)"From Il Progresso to the Enquirer: the story of the Pope family". Tiziano Thomas Dossena, L'IDEA N.3, Vol.II, 2000, NY News Story on Generoso Pope Jr. N.Y. Times obituary for Generoso Pope Jr. 1927 births 1988 deaths MIT School of Engineering alumni American mass media owners American newspaper publishers (people) American people of Italian descent Horace Mann School alumni People from Lantana, Florida National Enquirer people