Helen Bishop

Helen E. Bishop July 27, 1920 ? March 11, 2011 Passed away peacefully. Helen is survived by her son James Bishop, daughter Mary Bishop and son-in-law Christopher Faust, her sisters Mary Woida and Marge Shaughnessy, nieces Maureen Hawkinson and Kathy Shaughnessy, and nephew Terry Shaughnessy. Her one and only husband John Deming Bishop preceded her in 1985. Helen was born and raised in Chicago where she graduated from Mercy High School. Her adventurous spirit and dedication to duty led her to serve as a civilian secretary for the Air Force in WW2. That brought her briefly to San Francisco for the first time. She fell in love with this city but the service needed her in Hawaii and then Japan where she met her handsome Air Force officer, John. They married April 20, 1949 in Yokohama. John?s military career took them back to Springfield, Massachusetts where her children were born, back across the Pacific to the Philippines with two young children in tow, and then back again to the States. When John retired, they settled in Mesa, AZ where Helen worked as a principal?s secretary for Mesa Public Schools from 1956 until retirement in1983. She was deeply loved by the teachers and students whose lives she touched. In 1985 they finally moved back to remain in her favorite city, San Francisco. Helen was a lover of opera since childhood, much to the annoyance of her mother who tolerated the operatic broadcasts on the radio each Sunday afternoon. She was a terrific dancer. She loved to travel the world with her beloved husband. She was a vibrant member of every community, getting to know everyone personally, be they neighbor, shopkeeper or mailman. Her quick wit, intelligence and wry humor are famous. We will miss her thoughtful opinions and strong guidance. Family and friends may visit after 11:00AM on Thursday and are invited to attend the Funeral Liturgy also on Thursday at 1:00PM, all at the chapels of Valente Marini Perata & Co., 4840 Mission St., SF, 94112. Committal to follow at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno. In lieu of flowers the family request that donation?s be made in Helen?s name to the St. Anthony Foundation, 150 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA. 94102.

Helen Bishop

July 27, 1920 - March 11, 2011