Jim Bishop, by Randy Shipman (8/7/11)

Jim Bishop was married to Elizabeth (Ott?) Cooper.  She was a (2nd?) cousin to my mom.

Jim and Elizabeth Lived on South 12th Street and about Vista St. in South Salem in the 1950s era, maybe even into the early 60s.

They had 2 or 3 older girls and then the boys, Richard (Dick), David, Jonathan & Paul.

From 1957 until 1966, I went to TwinRocks Summer Camp.  During those years, Dick Bishop was a lifeguard at the lake adjacent to the camp.  One year a 340 pound tackle from George Fox College was camp counselor. Since he was so big he would pick up the rowdy boys and toss them into the lake.  Some innocent boys were unfairly thrown into the lake. I asked Dick if he would help us to throw the big guy in. So one day we followed, with Dick in tow, to the lake and proceeded to contain the strong man to the floating docks.  My brother David was snatched up and tossed over his shoulder.  Eventually with Dick’s help we had this giant tipped over the edge, ready to fall in as soon as we let go.  The tackle’s name was Bob Hadlock.  Dick asked if he had any final words.  He asked to have his money and wallet taken from his pocket.  After they were removed, big, bad Bob went swimming.

Later the Bishop’s moved to Tigard as Jim was the lead janitor at the Durham Elementary School.  Later it was moved to its current site.

The house the Bishop’s lived in was in an apple orchard.  On one visit we gathered about 3 or 4 bushels of apples.  Jim brought an old hand crank apple press.  While the boys were in the garage taking turns cranking the apple press making apple cider, the girls were in the kitchen with a hand crank ice cream bucket.  After rubbing sore muscles, both boys and girls, were all treated to a fresh baked apple pie, with the hand cranked ice cream and a tall glass of ice cold apple cider.

Jim & Elizabeth were the kindest, friendliest, gentlest people I have ever known.

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