James V. (Jim) Bishop, 76, of Harrisonburg, Va., died Jan. 16, 2022, of complications from glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. He was born May 22, 1945, to J. Vernon and Ann Dayton Bishop in Doylestown, Pa.
On July 22, 1967, he married Anna M. Mast of Cochranville, Pa.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Eastern Mennonite University in 1967 and did graduate work in communications at James Madison University, 1981-82. After graduation, he was an editor-writer for Mennonite Board of Missions in Elkhart, Ind. He and Anna moved to Harrisonburg in 1971.
He served 40 years as public information officer at EMU. He also was involved with the school’s public radio station, WEMC. He contributed to radio programs — including “The Wax Museum,” an oldies request show on WHBG; “Warped Records” on WSVA; and “Friday Night Jukebox,” an all-’50s music show on WEMC — from 1990 until retirement in 2011.
He pursued freelance writing, including “Bishop’s Mantle,” which appeared weekly in the Daily News-Record from 1990 to 2011 and returned in March 2020. His column, “Virginia Ham,” appeared in Mennonite Weekly Review for 20 years.
He was a member of Community Mennonite Church of Harrisonburg since 1973, where he served as unofficial publicist and photographer, usher coordinator, worship leader and Sunday school teacher. In retirement, he continued as a member of the Shenandoah Valley Public Relations Council.
A ’50s guy marooned in the 21st century, he took an old-school approach to life, preferring print, radio and face-to-face conversations to social media. He delighted in growing exotic indoor and outdoor plants, doting on grandchildren, generating “pundemoanium,” line dancing with friends, cruising in his Mazda Miata convertible while enjoying a Kline’s black raspberry cone and the Bose radio blasting oldies but goodies.
Survivors include his spouse of 54 years, Anna; two daughters, Jennifer Hummel of Weyers Cave and Sara (Jason) Kiser of Hinton; four siblings, Robert (Sharon) Bishop of Doylestown, Pa., Rebecca Ann (Daniel) Swartzendruber of Rocky Ford, Colo., J. Eric (Linda) Bishop of Souderton, Pa., and Michael (Brenda) Bishop of Blooming Glen, Pa.; five grandchildren and two step-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be given to Patchwork Pantry, Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg.
