Remembering Ann Shorey Bishop
“And think of her as living in the hearts of those she touched...for nothing loved is ever lost and she was loved so much.”
Long time member of Yardley Friends Meeting, Ann Shorey Bishop, died on January 13, 2021 at Chandler Hall Hospice, Newtown, PA.
Ann was born on January 4, 1946 in New York City to the late George and Clara Garrison. She grew up in an old historic house on the corner of Big Oak Road and Stony Hill Road in Lower Makefield Township PA. Her father worked for the railroad, which may be why Ann loved to travel by train! A few years ago she and her husband Jeff took a train journey through the Canadian Rockies to the West Coast and had a wonderful time.
According to Ann’s husband, Jeff, they met at a burger shop in Morrisville PA. He was an ambulance driver and she was a “very cute” nurse at Mercer Hospital. They later married; Jeff said that Ann’s father gave them the gemstone for her engagement ring, and Jeff made Ann’s gold interlocking Gimmel wedding ring in metal shop at college.
Ann was a graduate of the RN Program at Montgomery Hospital and later received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. She loved nursing and worked at several hospitals. She retired from Wood Services after many years of service. She also enjoyed traveling, watching the birds and tending her gardens.
Ann was raised as an Episcopalian. From 1970 into the 1980s, when Jeff was a part of Makefield Friends Meeting, he met Sid Cadwallader from Yardley Friends Meeting while delivering Christmas trees at Jug Hill Tree Farm. Ann and Jeff became members of Yardley Friends Meeting in 1983.
Perhaps her biggest joy was the birth of son George. She was so proud of his accomplishments and when George and his wife Aditi announced that Aditi was pregnant, Ann was thrilled and wanted to make sure she was here for the birth of her grand baby. Ayden Shah Bishop was due on January 28 but was born early on December 19 – a healthy baby boy. Ann got her wish and was able to visit with her grandson via FaceTime!
Recently a few members of Yardley Friends Meeting had this to say about Ann’s generosity of spirit and kindness:
Doreen Gage said, “Ann ran the Bake Sale table at the annual Yardley Friends Flea Market and always brought delicious baked goods even though it was always on the heels of the Middletown Grange Fair and right before the Buckingham Peace Fair for which she gave so much time and energy to all those endeavors.”
Mercy Ingraham reminisced, “When I was getting ready to move from my old house, having lived there for 25 years, Ann and Jeff offered to help me move. They pulled up to the front door and proceeded to take dozens of huge boxes to storage. It was such a help to me and seemed truly a labor of love by Ann and Jeff.”
Betsy Cadwallader remembered, “Besides so many other activities, Ann was so generous and baked loaves of her famous banana bread for the Flea Market every year. It was delicious!”
And so dear Ann, we all will miss your pixie smile, your wry sense of humor, your open heart and your beautiful soul.
Ann is survived by her husband Jeffrey J. Bishop, son George J. Bishop, daughter in law Aditi Shah Bishop and grandson Ayden Shah Bishop.
Ann was a member of Yardley Friends Meeting, Middletown Grange Fair Committee, Upper Makefield Fire Company Auxiliary and Chandler Hall Auxiliary. Memorial Services will be held at a later date when family and friends can gather to honor and celebrate Ann’s life. Memorial contributions can be made in Ann’s name to the Middletown Grange Fair Building Fund, 576 Pennsylvania Park Road, Newtown, PA 18940.