Joe Richard Bishop

Joe Richard Bishop of Tucker, Georgia, passed away peacefully in his sleep on September 9 surrounded by love of family and under Hospice Care at home. Mr. Bishop was born in Watkinsville, Georgia on June 5, 1931. He was the son of James H. Bishop and Mildred E. Dillard Bishop.

Mr. Bishop is survived by his son, Richard Daniel Bishop of Warner Robins, daughter, Joye (Tim) Bishop Cauthen of Tucker, and grandsons, Joseph and Jacob Cauthen, both of Tucker. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 63 years, Joanne Lott Bishop and brothers, Thomas F. Bishop and Brice W. Bishop.

Named for his cousin, Governor and later Senator Richard B. Russell, Mr. Bishop grew up on a farm in Watkinsville, Georgia and attended Oconee County Schools. He graduated from Watkinsville High School at the age of 16 in 1948. His many before and after school duties on the farm included gathering eggs, feeding mules and pigs, and milking cows. He plowed fields with mules and hand harvested cotton. During these early years, he was active in FFA (Future Farmers of America) and the 4-H Club where he honed presentation and public speaking skills. As a teenager, he was the proud owner of a Heifer project cow and was selected first place in competition.

He attended the University of Georgia and was in Army ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) where his classmate was Special Operations Colonel Charles Beckwith. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science (combining the study of biology, anatomy, physiology, nutrition, genetics, reproduction, and behavior of animals) on June 5, 1954, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Army. From there he was assigned to the Third Armored Division, the 894th Tank Battalion at Fort Knox, Kentucky, to train incoming soldiers in all aspects of tank warfare. In 1955 he was temporarily assigned to Fort Lee, Virginia, in support of Logex ’55, a logistical exercise for five months. Upon returning to Fort Knox, Joe was promoted to First Lieutenant. After two years of military service, he was honorably discharged. His military duties included time as Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Officer, which included coaching the Fort Knox softball and bowling teams.

After his military service, Joe spent 17 years as a plant manager in the retail fertilizer and chemical industry in Sylvester, Georgia. He was a top producer for many years. Joe and his business were the subject of a feature story in the Farm Chemicals Magazine in 1971 about the top five agricultural businesses in the Southeast. He was a proponent of soil testing and use of anhydrous ammonia, which increased corn yields by a factor of four. He was later recruited as the technical sales representative for Uniroyal Chemical Company and traveled the state of Georgia and North Florida for the next 12 years. During his 30 years in the agricultural field, he played an important role and was a leader in the transition from mechanical farming to chemical farming in the Southeast. At Uniroyal, he mentored and advised co-workers. Upon agricultural chemical retirement, Joe joined the Worth County Health Department as an Environmental Health Specialist, a job he enjoyed until his final retirement in 1993. As the county health inspector, he was responsible for restaurant inspection, healthcare facility evaluation, and sanitation surveys. After his final retirement, he and Joanne relocated from Sylvester to Tucker, Georgia, to be close to their children and grandchildren. He enjoyed following the activity of Wall Street and investing in stocks. For many years, Joe was active in the Sylvester Jaycees and Kiwanis clubs. At Sylvester, he was a flag football player, softball pitcher, and golfer. Joe served on the Worth County hospital authority board and was part of the team that approved the construction of a new state-of-the-art hospital to replace the previous facility.

Mr. Bishop was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church and served in many leadership roles. At Watkinsville United Methodist Church, he served as youth treasurer and reporter. At Pinson Memorial United Methodist Church in Sylvester, he served as president of the Methodist Men and Lay Leader, and Sunday School superintendent. His responsibilities included ushering, executive board and committee service, planning lay witness retreats, and providing sermons as a guest speaker to churches scattered throughout Worth County. Most recently at Tucker First United Methodist Church, he served as teacher and president of the Lockhart Seekers class and the Wesley Fellowship class. He was an active member of the Christian Friendship class.

Joe loved his family and friends and delighted in lifting and encouraging all he encountered wherever he was. He had a positive word and big smile for everyone. He was known throughout the community for his kind affection and enthusiastic appreciation for service workers and staff, from restaurants to gas stations to banks to dental and medical offices. His optimism was inspiring and his cheerfulness heartening. To be in his presence was to feel good about life.

A Memorial Service will be held at Tucker First United Methodist Church on 5095 LaVista Road at 3 PM on Sunday, October 1, 2023. Visitation with the family is after the service. A reception, complete with Varsity hot dogs - a Joe Bishop favorite, follows.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Joe’s honor to Tucker First United Methodist Church, 5095 Lavista Rd, Tucker, GA 30084, (770) 938-3030.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.floralhillsfuneral.com for the Bishop family.