1915
Evelyn
2011
Evelyn Louisa Bishop
October 5, 1915 — October 9, 2011
Harlingen, TX:
Evelyn Louisa Grantham Bishop, 96, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, October 9, 2011 at Canterbury Courts Assisted Living.
Evelyn was born October 5, 1915 in Parker County, TX, to Erasmus and Julia Blackerby Grantham. Evelyn, then 10, came with her family from North Texas to Rio Hondo in 1925 as early farmers. Other relatives already living in Rio Hondo were her uncles Tim, Buck, and Travis Grantham and cousin Eva May Estes. She graduated from Rio Hondo High School in 1933 as salutatorian and class president. She was a champion school athlete in tennis and girls’ softball. Evelyn finished Brownsville Jr. College in 1936 and then taught at Buena Vista County School from 1936 to 1938. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Pan American College in 1956.
She married Alfred L. Bishop on August 22, 1938, and they were married 54 years before his death in 1992. She became a true farmer’s wife, picking cotton, gardening, canning, raising pigs, calves and chickens, and selling butter and eggs. When the drought of the 50’s occurred, she began teaching to supplement the family income. She taught many students in her first grade classes at Briggs Coleman and Rio Hondo Elementary schools from 1953 until she retired in 1981. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and TSTA.
Evelyn was a Sunday school teacher for years in the Rio Hondo Baptist Church and was a member of First Baptist Church in Harlingen. Her hobbies were many. She gardened, sewed, crocheted, made jewelry and ceramics, oil painted, china painted, and traveled to see relatives.
Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband Alfred, her parents, her three brother and one sister and in-law Chester (Shirley, Velma), Elvin (Mary), and Thurman (Norma) Grantham, and Violet (Morris) Bishop, and her infant grandson, Nathan Elwyn Williams.
She is survived by four children, Julia (Glen) Williams, Bonnie (David) Jones, Larry Bishop, and John (Karen) Bishop; eight grandchildren, Karl (Jan) Williams, Berney William, Rebecca (David) Ysaguirre, Lawrence (Nancy) Jones, Scott (Tina) Jones, Andrew Bishop, Susan (Jorge) Barrueto, and Joanna (Eric) Collier; 23 great- grandchildren, Violet Evelyn Williams Slowey, Ethan, Eric and Eli Williams, Morgan Kelby and Sarah Beth Williams, Joshua and Chloe Ysaguirre, Kyle, Chelsea, Christopher, Rose, Russell, and Nathan Jones, and Benjamin and Emily Jones, Bryce and Brance Bishop, Michael and Jonathan Barrueto, and Lindon and Jocelyn Collier; and two great-great-grandchildren, Tessa and Esther Slowey.
We give a special thank you to those who have cared for Evelyn at Golden Palms, Canterbury Court Assisted Living, and Odyssey Hospice, and to Dr. Diana Lozano.
Memorial may be given to the Family Assistance Fund at the First Baptist Church of Harlingen or to the charity of your choice.
There will be viewing on Thursday, October 13, 2011 from 12 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home in Harlingen, with the family present from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Graveside services will be on Friday, October 14, 2011 at 10 a.m., at Mont Meta Memorial Park.
Evelyn Louisa Grantham Bishop, 96, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, October 9, 2011 at Canterbury Courts Assisted Living.
Evelyn was born October 5, 1915 in Parker County, TX, to Erasmus and Julia Blackerby Grantham. Evelyn, then 10, came with her family from North Texas to Rio Hondo in 1925 as early farmers. Other relatives already living in Rio Hondo were her uncles Tim, Buck, and Travis Grantham and cousin Eva May Estes. She graduated from Rio Hondo High School in 1933 as salutatorian and class president. She was a champion school athlete in tennis and girls’ softball. Evelyn finished Brownsville Jr. College in 1936 and then taught at Buena Vista County School from 1936 to 1938. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Pan American College in 1956.
She married Alfred L. Bishop on August 22, 1938, and they were married 54 years before his death in 1992. She became a true farmer’s wife, picking cotton, gardening, canning, raising pigs, calves and chickens, and selling butter and eggs. When the drought of the 50’s occurred, she began teaching to supplement the family income. She taught many students in her first grade classes at Briggs Coleman and Rio Hondo Elementary schools from 1953 until she retired in 1981. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and TSTA.
Evelyn was a Sunday school teacher for years in the Rio Hondo Baptist Church and was a member of First Baptist Church in Harlingen. Her hobbies were many. She gardened, sewed, crocheted, made jewelry and ceramics, oil painted, china painted, and traveled to see relatives.
Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband Alfred, her parents, her three brother and one sister and in-law Chester (Shirley, Velma), Elvin (Mary), and Thurman (Norma) Grantham, and Violet (Morris) Bishop, and her infant grandson, Nathan Elwyn Williams.
She is survived by four children, Julia (Glen) Williams, Bonnie (David) Jones, Larry Bishop, and John (Karen) Bishop; eight grandchildren, Karl (Jan) Williams, Berney William, Rebecca (David) Ysaguirre, Lawrence (Nancy) Jones, Scott (Tina) Jones, Andrew Bishop, Susan (Jorge) Barrueto, and Joanna (Eric) Collier; 23 great- grandchildren, Violet Evelyn Williams Slowey, Ethan, Eric and Eli Williams, Morgan Kelby and Sarah Beth Williams, Joshua and Chloe Ysaguirre, Kyle, Chelsea, Christopher, Rose, Russell, and Nathan Jones, and Benjamin and Emily Jones, Bryce and Brance Bishop, Michael and Jonathan Barrueto, and Lindon and Jocelyn Collier; and two great-great-grandchildren, Tessa and Esther Slowey.
We give a special thank you to those who have cared for Evelyn at Golden Palms, Canterbury Court Assisted Living, and Odyssey Hospice, and to Dr. Diana Lozano.
Memorial may be given to the Family Assistance Fund at the First Baptist Church of Harlingen or to the charity of your choice.
There will be viewing on Thursday, October 13, 2011 from 12 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home in Harlingen, with the family present from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Graveside services will be on Friday, October 14, 2011 at 10 a.m., at Mont Meta Memorial Park.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Evelyn Louisa Bishop, please visit our flower store.