Mary Bishop One who has lived in Iowa for a very long period has passed away. It was during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl that Mary, who was born on January 25th, 1923 in Quinter, Kansas, spent her childhood. When she was ten years old, seven members of her family moved to Emmett, Idaho, in order to “start over.” They did so by towing a three-wheeled trailer behind a model A vehicle and bringing all of the family’s belongings with them. The hardships of World War II were something she went through.
It was during the time that her cherished husband Harold was serving in the Marine Corps in the South Pacific that she became a war wife and took care of their two young children. An example of perseverance and adaptation, Mary’s life was full of both. She was a rancher for 68 years, during which time she raised five children on the lovely property that she considered her home. She was a woman who had a strong work ethic and a profound connection to the natural world. Two of Mary’s most treasured recollections are the twenty years she spent driving school buses and the years she spent working as an early telephone operator.
Her bus children adored her, and she was adored by them alike. She was able to make a wide range of friends and have a lot of fun thanks to the church, the lodge, the quilt club, and the numerous card clubs.
Mary’s parents, John and Laura Maie Himes, as well as her husband Harold, son Linden, and baby daughter Kathleen, as well as her brothers and sisters, Bert (Dale), George (Rita), Bob (Evelyn) Himes, Eunice (Dale) Limbaugh, Beulah (Walt) Conrad, Doris (Don) Andrew, and Gloria (Ervil) Chiles, all passed away before her. Mary’s sons Dennis (Jerie), David (Louise), and Rocky (Crysti), as well as her daughter in law Diana Bishop and her daughter Mary Jane “Janie” (Don), as well as her 19 grandchildren and 40 great grandchildren, as well as her cherished nieces and nephews, are among those who are left behind after her passing.
Mary was the person who embodied the spirit and the heart of her family. She devoted her entire life to building relationships that transcend multiple generations, passing on her knowledge, and providing care. Her home was a haven of love, a place where tales were told, laughter reverberated, cards and games were played, and memories that would be treasured forever were created.
There is a legacy that Mary leaves behind that will continue to motivate and encourage people. In spite of the fact that she is no longer physically present among us, her spirit will continue to live on in the hearts of those whose lives she touched.
