Bishop, Helen Marie

Helen Marie Bishop, 88, of Manchester, Iowa, died at the Regional Medical Center in Manchester on Friday, April 13, 2012. She was born October 26, 1923, at Manchester, the daughter of Howard and Lena (Melchert) Dudley. Helen was raised and educated in the area, and was a 1942 Manchester High School graduate.

On December 5, 1942, Helen was united in marriage to Edwin Bishop at Peace Lutheran Church in Ryan. Three children were blessed to this union. Together they farmed south of Manchester. In 1969, they moved to an acreage on the southeast corner of Manchester.

Helen was a lifetime member of the Lutheran Church. She taught Sunday school for 30 years working with the four- and five-year-olds. She was active in the women of Northeast Iowa Synod of the ELCA serving in several officer positions, including president. Helen represented the ladies of northeast Iowa by serving two terms at the state level on the Iowa State University Extension Council.

Helen enjoyed gardening, flowers, fishing, and cooking. She won the Delaware County pie-baking contest, “Bake it with Lard”, more than once.

Survivors include her husband of 69 years, Edwin of Manchester; three sons, Robert “Bob” (Nancy) Bishop of Fort Myers, Fla., Richard “Dick” (Marlene) Bishop of Manchester, and Randall “Randy” (Sandy) Bishop of Marshalltown; six grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and two siblings, Robert “Bob” Dudley of Manchester, and Jeanne Tjaden of Council Bluffs.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; and a brother, Donald Dudley.

Memorials may be sent or designated to Ewalu Bible Camp.

Online condolences may be sent to .

Memorial service: 10:30 a.m. Monday, April 16, 2012 at the Peace Lutheran Church in Ryan with Rev. Timothy C. Miller officiating.

Inurnment: private family inurnment at Oakland Cemetery in Manchester.

Published April 14, 2012 in The Gazette