Barbara Jean Bishop

Barbara Jean (Nellis) Bishop, 83, of Waverly, Iowa died on Monday, October 19, 2020 at her home. She was born on June 18, 1936, in Athens, Ohio, and lived what she called an idyllic life both in her youth and in college at Ohio University.   She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Ohio University majoring in French and English. At age 50, she pursued a Master’s Degree from UNI in Community Health Education. She greatly enjoyed traveling to school districts in Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota encouraging them to include teaching the benefits of healthful living. Barbara’s husband, Dr. Roger Bishop, came into her life during her senior year of college, and in 1958 they were married with Roger’s father, Rev. M. G. Bishop, officiating. This blessed union of 62 years brought them two children, Michael Roger and Cheri Jean, and four grandchildren, Tyler, Timothy, Lucy and Ruby, all of whom gifted her with a lifetime of joy and happiness.  Barbara met her Lord, while enduring a very serious illness, at age 13 in a very profound way. Since that time, she lived with an overwhelming awareness of God’s Presence and Grace as He unfolded His blueprint for her life. She felt a deep and abiding debt of gratitude for her abundant blessings and the love that has surrounded her. Barbara was aware that every loss or limitation in her life was replaced by God with gifts of new opportunity and love. She always believed that living life with a spirit-of-thanksgiving was the key that allowed her heart to sing with praise the words taught by Jesus: “For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory forever and ever”.  Barbara’s most important purpose for her life was to provide the best caring and loving home for her children, as well as anyone who entered into her home. Barbara truly cared about everyone and absorbed their concerns into her soul.   Barbara is preceded in death by her parents, Allen A. Nellis, Pauline Dechert Nellis and her brother, Dick. She is survived by her husband, Roger, son Michael R. (Kelly) Bishop and grandsons, Tyler and Timothy, daughter Cheri J. (Tim) O’Hagan and granddaughters Lucy and Ruby.   Private Service of Worship and Praise will be held on Saturday, November 14, at 1:30 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Waverly, with Pastor Arthur Bergren officiating.   The live streamed service will be on St. Paul’s YouTube page and accessed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwVgHw7nDAQ. Private family burial will be held prior to the service. There will be no public visitation. Memorials may be directed to St. Paul’s Church and School; Wartburg College; or St. Labre Indian School, Ashland, Montana.   Online condolences for Barbara’s family may be left at www.kaisercorson.com. Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Waverly is assisting the family.  319-352-1187