John Bishop, Charter Member, obituary

John P. Bishop

Passed on December 26, 2010

Liminga,

John Paul Bishop, Johnny to most, concluded a long joyful life on December 26, 2010. Johnny joins his wife of 62 years, Berenice, his brother, Leslie, mother Bertha and father Albert. John was born July 15, 1914, in Chassell, raised in the Copper Country, loved it and refused to leave it for the entire 96 years of his life.

John, a graduate of Houghton High School, worked for his dad at Bishop's Taxi, where he met his wife, a beauty operator, on the main street of Houghton. John and Berenice were married on August 3, 1940. John worked in the mill in Redridge, during World War II, and then joined the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, (the A&P Grocery chain) in 1945. He worked there until 1977.

John took early retirement at 62 and filled his time with the 4-H program, where he was a leader for more than 30 years, and the J-Bar-B Ranch on Liminga Road. He had 34 years of retirement filled with horses, the Houghton County Fair, the U. P. Fair, and many other causes which he felt were important to the Copper Country. John was most at home on "the Ranch," and loved to hear the north wind blowing and the snow drifting while sitting next to the wood burning stove.

All through the years at the A&P in Hancock, John, the Meat Department Head, advised on cooking while never doing it himself. He was a great father to his son, John Jr., (Jack) and daughter Janine McRae, and her husband Gordon. John is also survived by his two sisters, Ethel Bishop and Rita Peterson, both of Chassell.

In addition he is survived by the next generations: granddaughter Jessie McRae-Yeo and great granddaughters, Adysn, Averi, and Adriana; granddaughter Terri Bishop Janowiak, her husband Jim, great granddaughters Jacklyn, and Jenna, who was born on Christmas Day, 2010. He is also survived by grandson Brian McRae, his wife Sarah, great grandson, Lochlan, and great granddaughter, Finley; and grandson Christopher Bishop, his wife Michelle, with one more great granddaughter, Lily, on the way. He also leaves behind his beloved horse, Mose Leveque, with its longtime caregiver Ida Knuuttila.

The family will receive friends from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm Wednesday, January 5, 2011, at St. Ignatius Loyola, in Houghton, where a parish prayer service will be held at 5 pm.. Funeral services will be Thursday, January 6, 2011 at St. Ignatius Loyola. A final visitation will be available starting at 10:00 am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Houghton County Fair Board. Donations can be mailed to the Houghton County Fair Association, 1500 Birch St, Hancock, MI, 49930 or they can be made at any Superior Bank branch, deposited to the John Bishop Memorial Fund, Houghton County Fair