Fairview- Reverend Dr. William (Bill) Fletcher Bishop, Jr., 77, of Leesville, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, April 30, 2014.
He was born to the late William Fletcher Bishop, Sr. and the late Harriette Ashley Bishop on July 25, 1936 in Charleston, SC. Bill graduated from Chester High School, North Greenville Junior College and Furman University. He received a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Seminary. He received an Honorary Doctorate from Charleston Southern University.
Visitation will be held at Convent Baptist Church located at 787 Convent Church Road, Leesville, SC at 2 PM on Sunday, May 4, Funeral services will follow at 3 PM. Burial will be held at Chester Memorial Gardens, 945 West End Rd., Chester, SC at 6:30 PM. Pastor Dr. Toby Roehm will officiate the service. He will be assisted by Dr. Donald L. Bishop and Dr. Emery Smith. Pallbearers will be Stanley Sanders, Sammy Sanders, Ricky Shealy, Christopher Dove, Charlie Beverage, and Joe Numberger.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by sister Barbara Ann Bishop Dove and nephew David May.
Survived by wife, Annie Belle (Ann) Sanders Bishop and son, Paul, brother-in-law Neil Patrick Dove, nieces Pattie May and Angie (Charlie) Beverage, nephew Christopher (Melissa) Dove and their families.
Memorials may be made to the Babcock Center Foundation PO Box 4389, West Columbia, SC 29171; The SC Autism Society, 806 12th Street, West Columbia, SC 29169-6142; and Convent Baptist Church 787 Convent Church Rd, Leesville, SC 29070
Bill served as pastor of Parkway Baptist Church in Chester, SC, Associate Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church, Columbia, SC, Macedonia Baptist Church in Brookhaven, Mississippi, and Kingstree First Baptist, Kingstree, SC.
Bill served as Executive Director of Missions in the Charleston Metro Baptist Association. In 1977, he joined the General Board Staff of the SC Baptist Convention. Positions held during this time included Director of the Teaching, Training, Ministries Department; Director of the Church Development Division, and Director of the Denomination Relations Department.
After retiring in 1998 until 2012, Bill served as contract consultant for the Convention; Interim Pastor for Irmo First Baptist, Irmo, SC; St. Andrews Baptist, Columbia, SC; Salley Baptist, Salley, SC, Wagener First Baptist, Wagener, SC and Seivern Baptist, Wagener, SC. During Bill’s 60 years of ministry he served in many capacities as teacher, leader and lecturer across the state of SC. He was Co-founder and President of the SC Autism Society. He was also active in many community projects. Bill was loved by many and will be greatly missed. Bill finished his race.
