Tom Bishop was peaceful and surrounded by love as his soul left his body cradled in the gentle arms of his Heavenly Father at 8:05pm on June 7, 2019 Tom was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in January of this year and he spent the last months of his life fighting like hell to live. Ever strong and stoic, Tom made light of his struggles with this illness. He pushed himself to heal and get stronger, keeping the hope alive for his family and friends. He wanted so much to beat this disease so that he could be here for his beloved wife Rachel, his children Corin (Richard), Jenelle (Bakari), and Joseph (Patricia), and his precious grandchildren Jovie, August, Juno, and Callahan. We are all heartbroken to lose this very special man.
Tom was born April 14, 1948 in Alhambra, California to Mary and Bertrand Bishop. He was an only child, thus his relationships with his family and his childhood friends were especially important to him. Tom loved the outdoors and spent as much time as possible fishing, camping, boating, hiking, scuba diving, and creating a lifelong love for nature.
Tom played football at Edgewood High School in West Covina, California, class of 1966. The bond with his teammates was a lifelong brotherhood. He attended UCSB and played football throughout his college years as well. He obtained two bachelor’s degrees, in archeology and kinesiology, before finding his calling as a Respiratory Therapist. He worked at several hospitals in the area but devoted 29 years of his career to Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. He was well respected, highly esteemed, and loved by his coworkers and patients.
Tom was peaceful and calm like a glorious day at sea. He was selfless. He never raised his voice in anger. Sea stories of Tom remain legend. He loved the ocean, the Sierra Nevadas, the Channel Islands, and Hawaii. He was a compassionate person who treated all people with dignity and love; no one was ever a stranger to him. Tom loved his family. He loved being a father and was endlessly proud of his children and his grandchildren. He was simply the best.
Tom’s soul joins his parents, Mary and Bertrand, and his stepson Michael.
Tom believed in God with his whole heart and soul. He expressed himself freely and touched so many people in this regard. He and his wife Rachel were South Coast Fellowship followers with Pastor Larry Reichardt as their head pastor for about
14 years.
A celebration of Tom’s beautiful life will be held on Saturday, August 17th, 2019. Location to be announced at a later time.
