Kathleen Ruth Bishop

May 6, 1950 - June 6, 2020

Kathleen Ruth Bishop, 70, of Lafayette passed away peacefully Saturday, June 6, 2020 at Mulberry Healthcare after a long and courageous battle with dementia. Kathy was the fourth of seven children born to Missouri Synod Lutheran pastor. She lived her life bringing together the best parts of those around her. She loved her family – immediate and extended – immensely. After the birth of her children, Kathy concentrated on being a homemaker and raising her two sons. As they grew and became more independent, she pursued additional education and became both a CPA and small business owner. Her fiery red hair and sparkling blue eyes showcased both her wit and no-nonsense approach to life’s challenges. At her core, Kathy held a deep and ever abiding faith in God’s love and compassion for all of his creation. She was born May 6, 1950 in Springfield, IL, to the late Reverend Arthur Jack and Lilian Ruth (Moore) Goldberger. Kathy spent her formative years in Vandalia, IL. After graduation from Vandalia Community High School, she attended Lincoln college for 2 years and then graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education. At Lincoln College, she met Peter Berry Bishop, of Glen Ridge, NJ. And in 1972, she and Pete were married in Lincoln under the watchful eye of the Reverend Goldberger. She and Pete called New Jersey home for many years, welcoming first Brad and then Michael to the family. In the Spring of 1984, Pete and Kathy made Northwest Indiana their new home. After settling in, Kathy took classes at Purdue North Central and in 1989, she became a certified public accountant. Kathy worked in accounting for a number of years until the boys went to college. She and a colleague from work founded a mail order chocolate enterprise and then turned this into a storefront in downtown Valparaiso Indiana- Chocolate Indulgence. In 2000, she and Peter relocated to West Lafayette, IN to enjoy time with family and each other. While residing in the Greater Lafayette area, she was a member of St. James Lutheran Church. She is survived by her husband, Peter. She is also survived by her children: Brad (Sara) Bishop of West Lafayette and Michael (Amy) Bishop of East Grand Rapids, MI; siblings: Linda Loos of Athens, OH, Reverend Jack (Karen) Goldberger of San Antonio, TX, Susan Moore of Champaign, IL, Patricia (Jim) Dermody of Monee, IL, Laura Williams of Lincoln, IL, Nancy (Viv) Goldberger of Skokie, IL; 12 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents. Visitation will be held 2:30pm – 4:30pm Thursday, June 18, 2020 at St. James Lutheran Church. Funeral service will begin at 4:30pm with Pastor Peter Heckert officiating. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution directed to the Alzheimer’s Association – www.alz.org. Share memories and condolences online at www.hippensteelfuneralservice.com http://videos.lifetributes.com/1071927 Watch the webcast for Kathleen Ruth Bishop. https://webcasts.lifetributes.com/1071927