Susan Bishop

Susan Bishop

Cedar Rapids

Susan Bishop, 67, of Cedar Rapids, passed away unexpectedly on April 17, 2025, at Mercy Hospital.

Change of service details: Visitation will be held from 4 – 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids. Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on May 22, 2025, at Antioch Christian Church in Marion. Luncheon will follow the service and then burial at Oak Shade Cemetery, Marion. A livestream of the service will be available through Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services.

Susan was born on August 26, 1957, in San Pedro, California, to Junior “J.R.” and Carol (Wittmaack) Richardson. As the eldest of her siblings, she naturally embraced a nurturing and leadership role from a young age. She worked alongside her father at Paramount Chevrolet, managing, purchasing, and finance. It was during that time she met the love of her life, William “Bill” Bishop. They would have celebrated 44 years of marriage this month.

Susan and Bill were married on May 21, 1981, in Voorschoten, Netherlands, and raised their three daughters in Los Alamitos, California. In 1994, Bill’s job transferred the family to Anamosa, Iowa. In 2010, they moved to Cedar Rapids to be closer to their grandchildren, with whom Susan was lovingly involved every day.

Susan loved her family with her whole heart. She made every holiday and birthday feel like Christmas—gathering everyone together, hosting with care, cooking beautiful meals, and showering her loved ones with thoughtful gifts. She deeply valued tradition, especially home-cooked meals around the table, with no phones—just presence and love.

She also loved gardening—her yard stands as a living testament to the time and care she poured into it. Susan had a passion for genealogy and was remarkably gifted at uncovering family histories and reconnecting people with lost relatives. Her research helped many others find pieces of themselves, a reflection of both her intelligence and her generous spirit.

Susan is survived by her devoted husband, Bill; her daughters, Angela (Jason) Moore, Karen (Brian) Safley, and Laura (Abe) Holmes, all of Cedar Rapids; and her beloved grandchildren, Adam, Allison, and Alexis Moore; Addilyn Safley and Krissy Horton; and Levi Schamberger, Lilly, Jeshua, Abel, and Elsie Holmes. She is also survived by her siblings, Michelle Page, Rachelle Cochems, and James Richardson of California, Amanda Harris of New York, and Taylor and Aaron Brooks of California. She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, Rebecca and Lindsey Richardson; parents-in-law, William “Chet” and Vera Bishop; and brother-in-law, John Cochems.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Isaac Newton Christian Academy, a school that held a special place in Susan’s heart, to assist families with unpaid tuition—continuing her legacy of supporting others in times of need.

Please share your support and memories with Susan’s family on her Tribute Wall at www.stewartbaxter.com under Obituaries.