Ms. Mable Bishop

Mable Bishop was born on August 9, 1931 in Belize City, Belize, Central America to Margaret R. and Joseph Wright. She was one of 10 siblings. In Belize, Mable was active in the church from childhood, where she attended Sunday school and sang in the choir. Mable migrated to Chicago in the mid-1950’s to make a better life for herself and to send money back home to her sister Elswith who was caring for her two daughters, Marvis, known lovingly as “Pinky” and Jennifer. She moved to the south side of Chicago to the sprawling home of her sister Mavis (who had lived in the US since she was seven years old) and brother-in-law, Mike Spraggins. Their home became the hub for all family members migrating from Belize.

In 1961, Hurricane Hattie caused massive destruction to Belize City, which resulted in Mable sending for her sister Elswith, niece, Joy and her daughters.
On May 13, 1963, Mable married her second husband, James Bishop, an American, and from that union a daughter, Brenda Bishop (also known as Israel) was born.

She became a member of Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church where she worshipped for 25 years and served on the Mother’s Board, Deaconess Board and sang in the choir.
On November 2, 1976, Mable became a naturalized citizen. In 1982, she retired from Northwestern Memorial Hospital. In 1984, Mable took floral art classes at The American
Floral Art Academy in Chicago, after which she practiced floral arrangement as a part-time hobby. She used her newly honed skill and volunteered for many years in the Floral
Department at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
In 1994, Mable moved with her husband James to Jackson, Tennessee where she joined Macedonia Baptist Church and served on the Deaconess Board. In the 1990’s, she moved back to Chicago. She joined Second Baptist Church in Evanston, Illinois on April 13, 1997 under the pastorate of Reverend Dr. Hycel B. Taylor and served faithfully on the senior Usher Board.
She is preceded in death by: her mother and father, Margaret and Joseph; sisters, Mavis, Elswith, and Zelma; brothers, John, Linford and Charles; daughters, Marvis and Israel;
husband, James; nephews, Rudolph Sr. and Rudolph Jr. She is survived by: her loving daughter Jennifer Ridley (Jim); sisters, Mignon Wright and Rose Wright; brother, Herbert Egan; nieces, Joy Sanchez, Audrey Leak (Craig) Dorothy Ann Belisle, Gilda Owens, Grace Gentle, Brenda Egan, and Jackie Hamilton; nephew, Hubert Neal and Ned Hamilton; grandson, Shaun Wright (Kretonia); great-grandson, Shaun Bishop; great nephews, Jason Scurlock and Avery Scurlock; great niece, Natalie Belisle and a host of other family members. Please keep the family in your prayers.

Arrangements entrusted to Thompson Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc. Mr. Philip L. Gillette ~ Funeral Driector

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