E. Thomas "Tom" Bishop

E. Thomas “Tom” Bishop WASHINGTON TERRACE – Today we lost our precious father and our hearts are broken. Elias Thomas “Tom” Bishop died quietly at his home in Washington Terrace on Thursday, April 30, 2009, surrounded by his family. He was born on December 2, 1919, on a farm in Paradise, Cache, UT, and was the seventh child and third son of Richard Morris and Maria Tams Bishop. The family later moved to Ogden and he graduated from the new Ogden High School the first year it opened – 1938. He married Jenetta M. Jesperson in 1948 in Elko, NV. They later divorced. His surviving family includes daughters Linda McKenzie and her fiancé Richard McCulloch, Judy Speigle and Christine (David) Grant; 12 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. He and Jenetta remained very good friends until her death in 1994. He was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tom spent most of his adult life in and around Ogden, having been a railroader for 42 years with the OUR & D Company and the Union Pacific Railroad. He numbered among his most valued friends, those with whom he worked on the railroad including his best friend, Ed Lesley. He also met the love of his life, his former wife Jenetta, while on railroad duty in Pocatello, ID. He joined the American Merchant Marines, and his oceangoing ship the SS Cape Sandy performed heroic service during the invasion of Leyte and other rescue operations. He received a letter of commendation for valiant service and given veteran’s status with the Coast Guard in 1989, long overdue. Tom had been a very successful athlete. Even at ages 17 and 18, he participated in the Golden Gloves as a featherweight boxer. He was a regular competitor at the Huntsman World Senior Games; and although he was most noted for his race walking, he would try anything, including the high and long jumps; and 100 and 200 meter dash. He set records in the 1500 meter and 5K race walks. His record for the 1500 meter in 1990 was the longest on-going record, only broken a few years ago. He also qualified and participated in the World Senior Olympics in Syracuse, NY. His hundreds of medals, trophies, t-shirts and other memorabilia take up a lot of space in his home. Surviving are his daughters, sister Jessie Bishop Lewis, Ogden; his Aunt Mary Tams Clifton, Ogden; and his Uncle Merlin Tams, Wellsville, UT; many nieces and nephews; and extended family. Tom was preceded in death by his siblings Weldon T., Mary E., Alta, William R., Dorothy, Edna, Helen, Vera, Verna; his parents, three nieces, two nephews, plus a huge extended family. We would like to thank our precious Mary Ingraham for the devoted and loving care she provided for our father. Also a special thanks to Life Path Hospice, nurse Susan, and CNA Jerrie, for the loving care they provided. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. Friends may call at the mortuary on Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Tuesday 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. Interment, Lindquist’s Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 Washington Blvd. Send condolences to the family at: www.lindquistmortuary.com