ChristineBishop

Christine Bishop, 75, of Greenville passed away June 9, 2011 at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas.  Services will be at 10:00 AM Monday at Wesley United Methodist Church with Rev. Gene Wisdom officiating.  Interment will follow at Memoryland Memorial Park.  Visitation will be from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM Sunday at Coker-Mathews Funeral Home.

Born July 1, 1935, in Mexico Community, Hunt County, Christine was the daughter of L. W. and Ollie Maydell (Decker) Smith.  On February 26, 1955, she married John A. Bishop in Greenville. She was a successful realtor in Greenville many years.  She was a longtime member of Wesley United Methodist Church where she belonged to the Horizon Sunday School Class.  She was also a member of the Standard Book Club.

She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend to all.

Survivors include her son John David Bishop and wife, Audrey of Rockwall; daughter Danette Dodson and husband, Mark of Greenville; brother Robert Smith and wife, Nasa of Greenville; sisters Ann Bradshaw and husband, Conley of Commerce and Wanda Jo Davis and husband, Jerry of Arlington; grandchildren Ashley & Ryan Jones and  Stephanie, Torrie and Kaylee Bishop; great-grandson Cole Bishop; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 2009; parents; brothers Rayford, Charles, David and Clifton Smith; and sisters Lillian Smart and Faye Rozell.

Charles Wade Smith, Craig Smith, Scott Smith, Eric Smith, Bryan Smith, Keith Smith, Kim Davis, and Laverl Smith will serve as pallbearers.  Honorary pallbearers will be Fredrick Lawrence, Don Hardin, and Mitch Davis.

Memorials may be made to Cotton Ford Scholarship, c/o Wesley United Methodist Church, 5302 Bsns. Hwy. 69S, Greenville, TX   75402.

“I want  my family to remember that I loved having them gather around the formal dining table with the best of  everything I had to use for a pretty setting.  I am grateful that my four granddaughters who are now adults are using the graces taught at Grandma’s table and that they know that life’s mission is to make it a better day for those their life touches.”

“I would like to be remembered as George Washington Carver wrote:  “How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong,” Christine Bishop.