Virginia "Ginny" Bishop

Virginia “Ginny” Knight Bishop, 66, of Traverse City, passed away peacefully in the company of loved ones, on June 20, at Munson Medical Center. Ginny was born in Standish, Michigan, on August 29, 1948, the oldest of three children of John and Margaret Knight. Ginny grew up in her family’s hometown of Sterling, Michigan, and graduated from Standish-Sterling High School in 1966, before attending Central Michigan University. In 1969, Ginny and her husband Doug Bishop, who had just completed his education at the United States Naval Academy, moved to Norfolk, Virginia. They also lived in Newport, Rhode Island; Waukegan, Illinois, and both Malden and Winthrop in Massachusetts prior to settling in Traverse City in 1977. While living in Massachusetts, Ginny was employed as a property manager in the apartment complex in which her family lived. Shortly after moving to Traverse City, Ginny had a wonderful experience working in the dental office of Dr. Carl Madion before she began working as a bookkeeper and accountant – initially for the law firm of Elhart & Bishop, and then for the law firm of Bishop & Heintz. Ginny would continue in this role with Bishop& Heintz until her retirement in late 2013. During her high school years, Ginny was a member of the Job’s Daughters organization, and was named its Honor Queen for the State of Michigan. Following her move to Traverse City, Ginny was involved with a significant number of charitable and community-based organizations. Two organizations which she was most proud to be affiliated with were: Grand Traverse Families in Action, which Ginny helped to found, and the local P.E.O. chapter, of which she was a past President, and she gladly served on various P.E.O. committees over the years. The camaraderie and support that she shared with her P.E.O. sisters was vitally important to Ginny, from the time she joined the organization in 1985 and continuing for the next 30 years. Ginny was an avid reader and greatly enjoyed travelling, but, perhaps most of all, she loved being in the company of her family and her many extraordinary friends. Some of Ginny’s fondest memories involved only good conversation and a pot of tea, or a weekend trip to reconnect with friends or relatives that lived too far away. She also became an expert on the game of basketball, although her family always suspected her interest may have been due more to her sons’ many high school and college contests than genuine interest. If true, this is but one example of Ginny’s selfless devotion to her family that lasted through the very last days of her life. Ginny is survived by her husband, Doug; her son. Matt, and his wife, Larissa, together with their three daughters, Kiera, Mackenzie and Riley, of Byron Center; her daughter-in-law, Karen Kline; her brother, Richard Knight and his wife Susan, of Boyne Falls; together with their sons, JR, Rick and Kevin and their daughter, Maggie; and her sister, Peggy Beyler and her husband Dudley, of Indiana; together with their son, Leigh. Also surviving are her brother-in-law, Stephen Bishop and his wife Lynn, of Arizona; together with their sons, Chris and Jeff, and their daughter, Katie; her brother-in-law, Kelley Bishop and his wife Lucia, of Texas, together with their daughter, Lea; and her sister-in-law, Wendy Stephan and her husband Billy, of Texas; together with their daughter Kelley Nicole and their sons, Travis and Tom. Ginny was preceded in death by her father and mother, John and Margaret Knight; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Alfred and Patricia Bishop; her beloved son, Scott, and her dear nephew, Brian Bishop. The family wishes to express their sincere thanks and appreciation to the thoughtful and compassionate staff of Munson Medical Center, especially Dr. Deborah Ochs and nurses Mark and Cate, for making Ginny’s final hours as peaceful and comfortable as possible. Visitation for Ginny will take place from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 28, at the Presbyterian Church of Traverse City, with Dr. David Walls presiding. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that Ginny be remembered through memorial contributions to the American Brain Tumor Association. Further information may be found at www.abta.org. Please feel free to share your thoughts and memories with Virginia’s family at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com. The family is being cared for by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

Virginia "Ginny" Bishop

August 29, 1948 - June 20, 2015