Geraldine “Jerry” Bishop

Geraldine H. Bishop, 94, passed away on Saturday, September 14, 2019.  To family and friends, she was known as Jerry.  To the kids in the family, she was known as Mom and Mimi.  She always said that if she had written a book about her life, it would have been called, “Privileged.”  To her, that meant she had a special childhood which gave her an advantage.  She was born in Beaumont, Texas to Bernice and Cecil Hester.  She grew up in a house on North Street by the train tracks.  Her grandfather was a foreman for the Santa Fe railroad.  During her youth, she enjoyed being a Rainbow Girl, playing the violin and attending First United Methodist Church.  At Beaumont High School, she met the love of her life, Bruce H. Bishop.  They were married for sixty-six years until his passing in 2010.   

Jerry loved to talk about her life and times.  Here are some of the things she told us many times: She was left-handed and enjoyed drawing.  She roller skated with her sister in the basement of that house on North Street.  When she was a girl, she had a pet goat.  His name was Billy.  As a teen, she hopped a moving train near home and rode it downtown.  Jerry and Bruce met in the cafeteria line at high school. It was love at first sight.  She called him her first, last love.  When Bruce went off to war, Jerry followed him to Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, New Mexico.  She served her country as a clerk working for Lt. Drake and Captain Boyd.  Santa Fe became her favorite city.  She and Bruce liked traveling in New Mexico and Colorado.  After World War II, they returned to Beaumont where, over the years, she had five good jobs.  She would proudly tell you what those five jobs were.  She started her day with a cup of coffee and drank it all day.  Her favorite food was rice.  She was a regular at Luby’s.  She always ordered the Numero Dos dinner at Los Tios.  She wore silver jewelry and turquoise stones.  She was a keeper of history and a studier of geography.  She had many keepsakes and family pictures that were like a road map of her life. She loved birds, especially cardinals, and her cats and dogs.  She had many favorite movie stars.  She especially dreamed of being on the stage.  At home in Houston, on a Saturday afternoon, she would play a Broadway song, put on her straw hat, pick up a cane and start dancing.  Somewhere in heaven right now, she’s in a chorus line.               

Jerry never forgot a family member’s birthday or anniversary.  She always had a gift.  Always sent a card.  She made a point to tell each child in the family she was proud of them.  If any member of Jerry’s family told her, “I love you”…the response was, “I love you more.”  We were blessed to be with her for so many years. 

Jerry was preceded in death by her husband, Bruce and her daughter, Julie.  She is survived by her sister, Nadine Hester; her son Bill and daughter-in-law Denise; her daughter Jill and son-in-law Paul; her six grandchildren, Allison, Kelly, Sean, Alex, Jennifer and Joe; and her five great-grandchildren, Zachary, Zane, Jackson, Jefferson and Grayson.   

A gathering of Mrs. Bishop’s family and friends will be from 12:00 p.m., until 1:00 p.m., with her funeral service to follow, Tuesday, September 24, 2019, at Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to First United Methodist Church, 701 Calder Avenue, Beaumont, Texas 77701.