Obituary for Barry Bishop

Barry L. Bishop, aged 76, beloved son of Forest Edward Bishop, Sr. and Miriam Poland Bishop passed away peacefully on April 30^th at his home in Westerville, Ohio. Barry was predeceased by his parents, his brother Jack Bishop, his niece Connie Jo Jackson, his brother-in-law John Reef, and one of his best friends, Ken Schaaf. 

Barry attended Centerburg schools and became a basketball star of record for the Centerburg High School Trojans. His 1963-1964 team captured the District title. He graduated from Centerburg High School in 1964.  Barry (his friends called him Bish) was recruited by Youngstown State University where he played basketball for three years for the YSU Penguins before being called in the draft set up for the Viet Nam war.  Barry ‘s birthday, September 14^th, was the first date pulled for the draft. Barry enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was stationed mostly at Patuxent River Navy base in Maryland where Barry served as an officer’s record clerk and played basketball for the Navy. Upon his honorable exit from the Navy, Barry moved to Atlanta, Georgia where he worked for Bank South and got his business finance degree at Georgia State University. 

Barry moved back to Ohio when his mother contracted an illness and worked for various financial institutions before starting at Huntington Bank in the credit department and then as a mortgage forecloser.  He retired early and met his wife, Linda, in 1997. Engaged for seven years, they married in May of 2005.  In his retirement, he followed most college and high school basketball and football sports teams. His knowledge of college teams—coaches, mascots, players and team records—was uncanny.   You could ask him about any college team for basketball or football and he could rattle off their statistics. 

Once of Barry’s talents, most delightful to his grandchildren as his ability to talk like Donald Duck. So, his grandchildren called him Papa Duck.  Not only did he regale his grandchildren with ‘duck talk’ but any 2- or 3-year-old at grocery stores or restaurants got favored with words from Papa Duck. For the past ten years, he dressed as a duck for Halloween—a favorite character in his neighborhood.

Barry is survived by his wife Linda Ashe Bishop, his daughter Tammy (Fenix) Watts, his sister Saundra (John) Reef, his brother Forest E. Bishop, Jr (Marlene), his nephews Randy (Susan) Bishop, Craig (Chona) Horton, Chris (Cindy) Horton, Shane Hankins, and his nieces Brenda (Mike) Pruitt, Leann (Terry) Brown, Linda (Chris) York, his stepsons Scott (Steve Wedge) McLaughlin, Sean (Cheryl) McLaughlin, and Seth (Danielle) McLaughlin.  He is also survived by his precious grandchildren—Tre` Ward and Jahmonte` Watts both of Georgia, and Caleb Giraud, Jacob Giraud, Avery McLaughlin, Emmy McLauglin, Evany Samartino, and Abram Sneller, all in Westerville.  Bish will be missed by very special friends Wayne and Suellyn Wiggand and the Wiggand family, Jan and Bob Lewellen, Matt Jones and Jennifer Burkart, and Laura (Ken Schaaf).

The viewing for Barry will be from 2-3 o’clock on Friday, May 5^th at the Church of the Messiah in Westerville followed by the funeral service. Interment will be held for family members on Saturday, May 6^th at Mt. Liberty Cemetery in Mt. Liberty, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that you send the Alumni Association for Centerburg High School a donation earmarked as a contribution to their general scholarship fund as a memorial to Barry L. Bishop. Their address is: Centerburg Alumni Association, P.O. Box 443, Centerburg, OH 43011.