Bessie Katherine Bishop Perry
August 19, 1920 – January 4, 2019
Bessie Katherine Bishop Perry, born to Felix Hines Bishop and Imogene Crouch Bishop on August 19, 1920, in the Elmo Community near Calvert, TX., was a life-long resident of Robertson County until moving to the Carriage Inn Retirement Community in Bryan in 2010. Bessie passed away on January 4, 2019, in Bryan at the home of her daughter.
After graduation from Calvert High School in 1938, Bessie and John William Perry were married on October 9, 1938, in the Sneed Memorial Methodist Church in Calvert. In 1944, Bessie and William moved to Hearne where they made their home for the remainder of their more than 67-year marriage, which ended with William’s death in 2006. It was in Hearne that they raised their children Eleanor and John W, Jr., and where they established a dairy and egg production business.
After retirement, Bessie supervised clients of the Mental Health Mental Retardation Workshop in Hearne. She also volunteered for the area Retired Senior Volunteer Program where she accumulated more than 1600 hours, and in 1986 was named Volunteer of the Year by the Crestview Methodist Retirement Community. In their retirement, Bessie and William enjoyed traveling in their RV and visiting many of our United States, including Alaska.
Among words used to describe Bessie would include loyal, dependable, dutiful, generous, and entirely selfless. She was never happier than when helping others and in showing her extraordinary love for her children and grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her husband of 67 years, her parents, three sisters, and three brothers, and her son-in-law, Dr. Charles A. Ford. She is survived by her daughter, Eleanor Perry Ford, and son Dr. John W. Perry, Jr. and wife Sheryl, six adoring grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren, as well as twenty-seven loving nieces and nephews.
All are invited to a memorial service on Saturday, February 2, 2019, at 2 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, 408 Magnolia Street, Hearne, the church where Bessie and William had been members since 1944.
Those desiring may make memorial donations to Grace Methodist Church or to the Methodist Children’s Home, 1111 Herring Ave., Waco TX 76708.
Express condolences at CallawayJones.com
So sorry to say good-by to Aunt Bessie, but there is so much to celebrate about her life. Those Bishop ladies and gentlemen were the finest quality, and we are all richer for having them in our lives. We’ve been away for many years, so we’ve not been able to have frequent visits, but we have memories stored up for a lifetime. Aunt Bessie was such a classy, gracious lady. She and Uncle William produced a fine family, so their legacy will live on through Eleanor and John.