Joan Bishop

ROSSVILLE — Joan Douglas Bates Bishop departed her earthly life on June 27, 2019, at the age of 75. She was born Nov. 6, 1943, in Lawton, Okla., during the time her father was stationed at Fort Sill. Shortly thereafter, the family returned to their home in Centerville, Tennessee, where Joan graduated from Hickman County High School in 1961. She graduated and received her BS Degree from Middle Tennessee State University in 1965 with a major in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Library Science. Later she earned a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and Library Science from West Georgia College. Her teaching career spanned 31 years: two in Nashville city schools, and the remainder in Catoosa County, Ga. She taught first grade for many of those years, third grade for one year, and finished her career as an elementary school media specialist. On June 8, 1968, she married the love of her life, Quention Hugh Bishop who was also an educator in the Catoosa County School System. They recently celebrated their wonderful marriage of 51 years. Joan’s life was rich with love and many varied interests. Her strong Christian faith of the Wesleyan persuasion was at the core of her being. Not only did she live it out by singing in church choirs; teaching Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and Children’s Church; and working with senior citizens through the church; but she was sustained by it as she walked through challenging circumstances. Following her retirement from the school system, she volunteered regularly as a story-teller in schools and at the Catoosa County Library. To introduce the vast array of library services, she wrote a weekly column that was featured in the Catoosa County Times. Over two hundred columns were published. Her happiest times were spent with her family. Close seconds were cooking, working with crafts, decorating for Christmas and other occasions with selected themes, square dancing, reading, tutoring, setting up her own “book-of-the-month” club for her young great niece and great nephew, scrapbooking, hosting gatherings of family and friends, and traveling. Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Douglas Thompson Bates, II and Catherine Muir Wallace Bates. Survivors include her beloved husband Quin, children: Daniel Eli (Jennifer Noelle) and Mark Douglas (Julie Allison); grandchildren: Christian Andrew Salazar, Eli Douglas Bishop, Calloway Danielle Bishop, and Mollie Jane Bishop; her sister Anne Horner (Glenn), her brother Douglas T. Bates, III (Molly), niece Catherine Horner Pankow (Brian), nephew Jim Horner, (Rita), niece Sarah Bates King (Brian), nephew Douglas T. Bates, IV (Becki), five great-nieces: Carolyn Pankow, Anna Cate King, Molly King, Kitty Bates, and Tallulah Bates; two great-nephews: Bradley Pankow and Shawn Horner; and a host of cousins and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations might be given to The Salvation Army in memory of Joan. The address is P. O. Box 3359, Chattanooga, TN 37404. The receiving of friends for the Bishop family will be held Sunday, June 30, 2019, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Heritage Funeral Home in Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga. The service will be held Monday, July 1, 2019, at 1 p.m. in the Heritage Funeral Home Chapel, Battlefield Parkway.