Obituary of Nelda Walker Bishop

Funeral services for Mrs. Nelda Walker Bishop, age 89, of Wedowee will be held on Sunday, February 19, 2017, at 2:00 pm from Noon Day Church with Rev. Wes Kinsey, Rev. Chance Meinzer, Rev. Wendell Ford, and Mr. Ricky Daniel officiating. Burial will follow in the adjoining cemetery with Benefield Funeral Home of Wedowee in charge of arrangements. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 4:00-7:00 pm on Saturday, February 18, 2017. Mrs. Bishop will lie in state at the church for one hour prior to beginning of funeral services on Sunday. Mrs. Bishop passed away Thursday, February 16, 2017, at West Georgia Hospice in LaGrange, Georgia. Survivors include: two daughters, Beth Denney (husband, Clifford) of Hogansville, Georgia, and Jennifer Grogan (husband, Kent) of Camilla, Georgia; one son, David Bishop (wife, Mary) of Helena; a sister-in-law, Barbara Matthews Walker of Huntsville; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; one nephew and three nieces and their families, along with two long-time family friends, Vernelle Billingsley and Flora Wright. Pallbearers will be Kenny Arrington, Adam Bailey, Jim Bailey, Rick Bailey, Logan Cofield, and Ben Estes. Honorary pallbearers will be Hewell Bishop, Bobby Bugg, Wayne Cotney, Buddy Glisson, James Kendrick, Richard Lucas, Butch McClain, Darrell McManus, Kenneth McManus, Bobby Stewart, Ted Strain, and Tommie Strain. Born on January 31, 1928, Mrs. Bishop was the daughter of Rev. George Roy Walker, Sr. and Iola Hunt Walker. She graduated from Wadley High School as valedictorian of the class of 1946. After attending Southern Union College, she majored in home economics education at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois, graduating in 1950. Nelda and her high school sweetheart, Buford Bishop, were married in 1951. After having three children and while teaching fulltime, she earned a Masters of Education in home economics from Auburn University in 1968. She begin her long teaching career at Woodland High School followed by several years at Lanett High School before returning to Woodland High School to teach home economics until her retirement from the Randolph County School System. A former member of both Delta Kappa Gamma and Women’s Study Club, Mrs. Bishop also served her church, Noon Day Christian Church, as a Sunday school teacher for many years. She enjoyed crocheting, cooking, reading, gardening, and spending time with her family and friends. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Bishop was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Buford Bishop, and one brother, Dr. George Roy Walker, Jr. Memorials may be floral or donations may be made to Noon Day Christian Church Cemetery Fund, c/o Mrs. Charlotte Strain, 6478 County Road 67, Wedowee, Alabama 36278.