Don Bish

LAGRONE FUNERAL CHAPEL
OCTOBER 4, 2012
ROSWELL DAILY RECORDNEWS DEPT.

BISH, DONOn Wednesday evening, October 3rd, in the presence of his wife Nancy and daughter Sharon Berry, Don Bish was tenderly called home by his savior Jesus Christ after a brief illness. Don was a native New Mexican, born in Las Vegas on January 3, 1926, to Earl and Minnie Bish. He was the fourth of five children, including Doris, Leroy, Marie, and Paul. He was drafted into the United States Army before completing high school and served in the Pacific theater until the end of World War II.
After his discharge Don returned to Las Vegas and enrolled in Highlands University. He married Joy Rutherford and they had a son, Daniel, shortly before Joy died of cancer. In the summer of 1950 he met Nancy Osborn who was attending summer school at Highlands, and they were married on November 26th of that year. The following year their daughter Sharon Elizabeth was born. Don and Nancy were married for almost 62 years.
Dons friendly nature and outgoing personality enabled him to achieve a very successful sales career, primarily in wholesale auto parts for local stores and national companies. During his extended service with the Arthur Fulmer Company, Don was their national sales leader for several years. After moving to Odessa, Texas, in 1956, Dons territory extended from Del Rio to Lubbock and from Abilene to El Paso and all the West Texas towns in between. He didnt know it at the time, but one of his customers in Alpine would later become the fatherinlaw of Dons grandson Kevin Berry.
As they raised their family in Odessa, Don and Nancy became active members of First Baptist Church where Don was one of the first men to teach in their Sunday Schools preschool department. He was active in the churchs hospital visitation ministry, and he also organized and then served as adult leader of the churchs Boy Scout troop, and his experiences growing up in the mountains of northern New Mexico helped the troop earn many honors and awards.
Don was always a faithful servant of his Lord and a witness of his salvation. He was ordained as a deacon in Odessa several years before he and Nancy retired and relocated to Roswell in 1997 to be near their daughter and her family. They joined First Baptist Church of Roswell and continued their active church life serving in various ministries and programs whenever possible.
Don is survived by his loving wife Nancy, his daughter Sharon and her husband Kenneth Berry, his son Daniel and wife Maureen of Santa Fe, and Dons younger brother Paul and wife Geneva of Albuquerque. He is also survived by seven grandchildren: Kevin Sarah Berry and their children Elizabeth, Emma, Kaleb, of Roswell DShan Berry of Roswell, Lauren Dillon Blakley and their children Bryson Aaron of Midland, Texas Sara Jean Bish of Los Angeles, California, Joy Mike Gorey and their children Madeline Caleb of Mission Viejo, California Christina Brent Peterman and their daughter Nicole of Bellvue, Washington, and Cody Bish of Portland, Oregon. In addition, Don is survived by a loving former daughterinlaw, Judy Bob Hipp of Irvine, California.
On Monday morning, October 8th, at 11:00 a short graveside service will be held at South Park Cemetery in Roswell. Immediately following this service will be a celebration memorial at First Baptist Church of Roswell 5th Pennsylvania at approximately 11:30. Pallbearers will be Kevin Berry, Dillon Blakley, David Henry, Duane Henry, Ron Henry, Steve Osborn, Larry Plunkett, and Barry Walker. Honorary pallbearers will be Lloyd Stone, Ray Sherman, Charles Butler, Kenny Zuber, Darwin Nelson, Joe Tai, and the deacons of First Baptist Church. Donations in Dons memory may be directed to New Mexico Baptist Childrens Home, Box 629, Portales, NM, or the Genesis Fund of the First Baptist Church of Roswell.
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Service

Memorial Service

First Baptist Church
500 North Pennsylvania
Roswell, NM  88201
Monday, October 8, 2012
11:30 a.m.

Cemetery

South Park Cemetery
3101 S. Main
Roswell, NM  88203

Memorial Contributions

P.O. BOX 629
PORTALES, NM  88130