George Edward Bishop

Bishop, George “Ed” Edward, 82, of Chester, Virginia, passed away peacefully, surrounded by loving family members on September 30. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edgar and Della Daniel Bishop, and his brothers, Marvin and Jerry Bishop. He is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Peggy Wyatt Bishop; his children Terri Bishop Burgess (Neil), Pamela Bishop (Barry Griffin), Beth Kimbriel (Scott), and David Bishop (Sonya). “Pop” will be greatly missed as well by his adoring grandchildren Kimberly and Corinne Burgess; Austin Griffin; Toni, Elyse, John, and David Kimbriel; and Sydney Pugh and Elexys Bishop. He is also survived by his dear nephew, Marvin “Tony” Bishop (Peggy) who was like a brother; and his loving sisters-in-law, Ruby Wyatt French and Claudia Wyatt Jermyn. Born in Attalla, Alabama, Ed joined the navy during the Korean War and upon discharge graduated in less than four years with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alabama; as a lifelong Bama fan, he probably had one eye on the scoreboard, shouting “Roll Tide!” as he entered heaven. During his career, he worked for many large companies throughout the southeast, including Firestone Tire & Rubber in Hopewell, where he developed a patented process for fiber processing. He retired as senior vice president from Lockwood Greene Engineering in Tennessee where he directed both the Nashville and Knoxville offices. Ed was an active member of Chester United Methodist Church, which benefitted from his regular leadership. He is also a past president of the Chester Civitan Club and was involved in every community he lived in. Ed was known for his gregarious, outgoing personality, and “never met a stranger.” He often ran into acquaintances in airports throughout the world, and it was well known in the family that someone he had just met walking down the street might show up for dinner or to watch a football game! Ed especially enjoyed gardening, boating, RV camping, fishing, building, and spending time with his grandchildren. Some of his fondest memories were teaching the grandchildren to fish and giving them tractor rides at their country home in Tennessee. There, Ed also pursued his lifelong passion for building and home improvement; in spite of a Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis in 1998, he and Peggy personally built a two-story barn on the property and an addition to the house. They both also greatly appreciated their RV and made many memorable trips around the country. Most of all, however, Ed was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, who loved telling stories and spending time with his family. He felt strongly that education was a priority, and through his words and actions, instilled in his children and grandchildren a thirst for knowledge, a compassion for others, an appreciation of the arts, a sense of adventure, and a strong work ethic. The family would also like to thank the wonderful and caring staff at Sitter and Barfoot Veterans Care Center. The family will receive friends at 1:00 pm on Monday October 5, 2015 at the Chester United Methodist Church 12132 Percival St, Chester, VA 23831. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm at the church. The Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Chester UMC or the Parkinson’s Foundation. Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com . Please visit our website and click on Mr. Bishop’s obituary to view any changes that may be made to the service times due to upcoming inclement weather.