Obituary: M. Lee Bishop

M. Lee Bishop, 73, a resident of Winnetka, died Friday, Nov. 14 in Evanston Hospital.

Mr. Bishop was born April 2, 1930 in Pekin, Ill. to Wilbur and Lucille Bernshausen Bishop.

He decided in high school to shape up and go out for tennis and basketball and hit tennis balls against the Pekin High School wall month after month. He made the Junior David Cup team. He graduated second in his class at Pekin High School.

Mr. Bishop went through the University of Illinois on a scholastic scholarship, was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity and won the Big 10 Doubles Tennis Championship his senior year.

After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and did boot camp at Parris Island. He often said, "It made a man out of me." He served during the Korean War and served 11 years in the Marine Corps reserve after his active duty. His final rank was major.

Mr. Bishop married Joyce Bressee in 1952 in Champaign, Ill. Inspired to go into law by his mentor from Pekin, Sen. Everett Dirksen, he graduated from the University of Illinois Law School in 1956 and joined Winston and Strawn. The Bishops then moved to Winnetka and Mr. Bishop joined the legal department of Wilson and Company.

When LTV bought Wilson, Mr. Bishop moved with the corporate headquarters to Dallas, Texas. He then became the senior vice president and general counsel for the Wilson Meat Packing Division and moved to Oklahoma City, Okla.

While residing in Oklahoma City, he served on the board of governors of the Oklahoma Symphony. He also served as the president of Associated Industries of Oklahoma, a state chamber of commerce. He continued as an avid tennis player for decades, even playing celebrity Pro-Am events with names such as Johnny Carson, and mixed doubles with his daughter Jeanne. He served as an elder in the Presbyterian Church. He also served on the National Labor Relations Board.

Returning to Winnetka, he became senior vice president and general counsel of John Morrell Meat Company before retiring into private practice.

Mr. Bishop became a substitute teacher at Wilmette Junior High School and found that he loved teaching and that he was a natural at it. He particularly loved seventh and eighth grades. He also taught seventh-grade Sunday School at Kenilworth Union Church for several years. Mr. Bishop worked actively with the New Trier Republican Organization.

Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Joyce Bishop of Winnetka; his daughters, Jennifer (Bill Jenkins) Bishop-Jenkins of Northfield, and Jeanne (Russell Gloyd) Bishop of Winnetka; his grandsons, Brendan and Stephen of Winnetka; and step granddaughters Elizabeth and Amanda Jenkins of Northfield.

He is predeceased by his daughter Nancy, her husband Richard Langert and their unborn child, who were murdered in their Winnetka town house in 1990.

A memorial service was held on Thursday, Nov. 20 at Kenilworth Union Church, in Kenilworth. Interment will be at the Kenilworth Union Church Memorial Garden. Memorial donations may be made to Kenilworth Union Church.