Randal Young Bishop died peacefully July 29, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina at age 88. Randal was born in Gatliff, Kentucky to Nora Lee Young Bishop and Roy Abel Bishop. He lived the good life on a family farm at Bishop Bend in Owsley County until his 14th year when his father was killed in an automobile accident. He spent his high school years in Corbin, Kentucky, graduating from Corbin High School. During his teen years, he was a member of the national Aviation Cadet Program, stimulating a lifelong interest in aviation.
He attended the University of Kentucky where he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and Pershing Rifles. He left college early to join the U.S Airforce during the Korean War, training as an Air Traffic Controller. He was stationed in Japan directing air traffic into war zones and training others. He was proud to have mastered some of the Japanese language while there and taught his children and students some sayings. Following his enlistment, he returned to Louisville, Kentucky where he met his future wife Sue; they were married February 27, 1960 in Madison, Indiana.
He graduated from Murray State University with BA degree in Social Studies and Political Science. He organized the MSU Aquatics Club, establishing a community program to teach swimming to mentally challenged children. He loved telling how the children progressed from fear of the water to joyful play. His first teaching position was in North Vernon. He was certified as a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor and Small Craft Instructor and taught swimming classes and water safety over the years.
His first teaching position was with 5th and 6th graders in North Vernon Indiana, where he invented games to teach history and used the Sears catalog to teach modern math. He was also Assistant Tennis Coach. He earned a MS in Counseling and EdS in School Administration at Indiana University. He was a popular teacher with the students in the Indianapolis Indiana school system until his retirement, teaching high school and adult evening school, and establishing/coaching the chess club. (He was once crowned “Faculty King” at the half time of a home basketball game, much to his embarrassment.) During his years in Indiana, his professional activities included serving as President of the Indianapolis Teachers Association of the IEA, and as a site accreditation visitor to secondary schools in several states for the North Central Association. He was active in politics in Indiana as a candidate for State Representative and was a Precinct Committee for the Republican Party (in later years, he was a proud Independent).
Following retirement from teaching, he moved to Charlotte North Carolina where he has resided since 1993, and where he was an ERA Charlotte Realtor. He loved his family and was a proud father of his children. He had a big laugh, was a great storyteller, and enjoyed people. He was often late to events, having stopped to talk to someone he knew or someone he just met. In this he was just like his father; Randy remembered as a young boy sitting on the back of the horse with his father, for what seemed like hours, while his talked with a neighbor.
He is survived by his wife Dr. Ina Sue M Marquis Bishop; his children Jon Marquis Bishop and Heather Suzanne Bishop; brother Rex Bishop of Bedford KY and sister Dr. Yvonne Bishop Shoemaker of La Grange KY; sister-in-law Nancy Marquis Vaughn of Atlanta Ga: brothers-in-law Harold Edwin Marquis III and wife Susan of Destin FL, and Dr. Milton Harrison Marquis and wife Anne of Tallahassee, FL; many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his beloved parents Nora and Roy Bishop of Kentucky, and brother-in-law Donald Wayne Vaughn of Atlanta.
The family would like to thank Hospice and Palliative Care of Charlotte for their caring support. The family will have a private graveside service at Sharon Memorial Park and will plan a Memorial Service in the Spring to honor his memory and share joyful stories of his life when the pandemic is behind us and it is safe to gather.
Memorial contributions may be given to the Alzheimer’s Association, The American Red Cross, Hospice and Palliative Care of Charlotte or Mallard Creek Presbyterian Church. Online condolences for the family may be made to: www.MEM.com
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