Celia Ruth Bishop

She was born July 22, 1929 in Norphlet, Arkansas to Ralph Owen and Nadine (Schause) Jones. She was preceded in death by her parents and seven siblings.

Surviving are three children, Michael Bishop, Jannette Norwood and Gregory Bishop; six grandchildren, Lisa (James) Starr, Stacy (Harley) Walls, Jason (Kelly) Sonderman, Jeremy (Loretta) Bishop, Chad (Tammy) Bishop and Judith Bishop; thirteen great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.

Celia was the assistant professor of Community Health Nursing for St. Francis Medical Center College of Nursing, retiring in September 1995. She has previously been head nurse at Pekin Memorial Hospital.

She was a member of Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Pekin and was an associate member of the St. Francis of the Immaculate Conception Convent in Peoria. She had been a member of the Pekin Registered Nurses, the Illinois Nurses Association, the American Nurses Association, the National League for Nursing, the Urology Association, the Women of the Moose, and Bradley Pride Society.

Celia was an artist and an avid reader. She loved gardening, baking and traveling and vacationing with her grandchildren.

Her funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 2, 2023 at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Pekin. Father Michael Andrejek will be the celebrant. Visitation will be from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Thursday morning at the church. Cremation will be accorded following the funeral Mass.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin.

Memorial contributions may be given to St. Francis of the Immaculate Conception Convent, 2408 West Heading Avenue, West Peoria, Illinois 61604.

To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com