Barbara Berkeley Bishop was born on May 29, 1927 to Elwood Deming Bishop and Madalene Morse Bishop in Lisbon, New Hampshire. She passed away in Lisbon with family at her side on December 20, 2014.
She lived all of her life in the North Country and had special affection for the family farm and summer cottages, which had been owned and operated by generations of Bishops from the late 1770s until the early 1960s. It was a source of great pride that the current owners, the Salter family, retain the historical tie, with “Bishop Farm” painted on the big red barn.
Barbara attended elementary school at the one-room Salmon Hole Schoolhouse before attending and graduating from Lisbon High School. She graduated from Plymouth Teacher’s College with a bachelor’s degree in business education.
While in college, she played piano in a band and especially enjoyed the “boogie woogie” genre. Members of her graduating class became lifelong friends, and she looked forward to annual class reunions.
Barbara began her teaching career at Andover High School and later taught at Lisbon High School.
On June 25, 1949, Barbara married Earl C. White in the Lisbon Methodist Church with a reception at the family farm. She and Earl had four children: Deborah (Thomas) Degnan of Longboat Key, Florida; Margaret Seaver of Marlborough; Nancy (George) Gooch of Colebrook; and Thomas (Karen) White of Lisbon.
Barbara was grandmother to 12: TJ, Andrew (Allison) and Kathryn Degnan; Christopher (Kate) and Ryan Seaver; John (Ester), Sara and William Gooch; Thomas, Heather (Eric), Michael, and Jennifer White. She was great-grandmother to six: Cameron and Sydney Degnan; Jackson and Maggie Seaver; and Francisco and Valentina Gooch. David Hunt, a family friend, became like one of her own in recent years.
Barbara’s favorite roles in life were wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. The highlight of her life was family gatherings. She greeted everyone with a heart full of love, prepared their favorite foods, and was sad to see them go.
Barbara was a kind and caring friend to those in need and wrote countless letters expressing hope and encouragement. She enjoyed reading newspapers and frequently mailed friends and family articles of interest.
She was the original reduce and reuse recycler. She was a member of the Lisbon Shared Ministry, a member of the United Methodist Women, and served as treasurer of the church for many years.
Barbara was predeceased by her husband Earl and her sister Jean Bishop Martin.
A memorial service was held on December 27 at the Shared Ministry Church in Lisbon. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in Barbara’s name be made to the Lisbon Shared Ministry Parsonage, 71 Grafton Street, Lisbon 03585. To view an online memorial, visit Phaneuf.net.