Name: Memorial service for Martha Bishop
Start: 2025-01-19T14:00:00.000Z
End: 2025-01-19T15:00:00.000Z
Location: Bethel United Methodist church

Martha Bishop
April 26, 1940 - January 5, 2025
Martha Suzanne Bishop of Bethel, Connecticut, left us in the early morning hours of Sunday, January 5, 2025, to be with her Heavenly Father and those of her loved ones who have, accordingly, preceded her.
All are invited to a remembrance service to be held for Martha at Bethel United Methodist Church, 141 Greenwood Avenue in Bethel, Connecticut, on Sunday, January 19, 2025; 2:00 p.m.
Martha is survived by her husband of more that 37 years, Timothy Bishop, and her husband's three sons, Sean Bishop, Eric Bishop and Brian Bishop, and the sons' families. Martha was born April 26, 1940, to her parents, Merle and Susan Edmonds in Indianapolis, Indiana. Martha is predeceased by her half-brother, Charles Edmonds, and her sister, Yvonne Edmonds Simpson. Martha is survived by her sister, Karen Edmonds Baker, and her family as well as members of the families of Charles Edmonds and Yvonne Simpson.
Martha, as well as her husband, was graduated from Emmerich Manual High School in Indianapolis. Martha earned her baccalaureate degree from Indiana Central College (now University of Indianapolis) in Indianapolis, her first master's degree from Butler University, also in Indianapolis, and her second master's degree from Southern Connecticut State University. Martha earned those degrees in Education and in Library Sciences.
Beginning as a classroom teacher at Indianapolis Public School No. 34 the fall semester of 1962 in Indianapolis, Martha fulfilled a successful 42-years total public school teaching career in Indianapolis, in Montgomery County Maryland where she later resided in Silver Spring several years and lastly, upon relocating to Bethel, in the Bethel Public School System from which she retired at the end of the spring semester of 2005.
Martha made Bethel her new home in June of 1987 upon becoming married to her Bethel husband and becoming the loving stepmother of her husband's three sons.
In addition to teaching in the Bethel public school system, Martha was active at various times in Bethel and elsewhere in Connecticut as a member of Bethel United Methodist Church and as a ringer in her church's bell choir directed by Jessica Bardelli; on stage in several community theaters in the Danbury area; Connecticut Story Telling Center and many of their Tellabrations; Bethel Historical Society as "Ghost Walk" story teller; P. T. Barnum Square Toastmasters; as a violinist and soprano vocalist with Darla Shaw's Senior Melodiers Band of Ridgefield and more recently as a reader to pre-schoolers at YMCA Children's Center in Bethel (also, Martha is author of "Rafe's Grand Performance," a children's book.); as a soprano/alto in Judy Novachek's Bethel Senior Center Choir; as a soprano in the local musical group of Billy Michael and, according to Martha's husband, for 37 years, 6 months and 16 days, "the world's best wife."
To share a memory or leave a condolence, please visit [email protected]

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Danbury News Times on Jan. 15, 2025.

Memories and Condolences
for Martha Bishop

Sponsored by Cornell Memorial Funeral Home.

18 Entries

Timothy N. Bishop

January 4, 2026

My very dear Martha,

As of 5:45 AM today it has been one year since you departed Bethel and went to Heaven. Please know that today I love you more than ever before. I miss you more now, today, more than yesterday and more than every other day this past year. One day I am going to come looking for you. As for now ..... Here's looking at you, kid!

Love you, lots!
Tim

Karen Frank

April 20, 2025

Sending healing prayers to Marty's family and friends. I often think of Marty and her wonderful laugh, her love of music, theater, and entertainment. She was a wonderful soul who enjoyed life to the fullest.

Tim Bishop

January 24, 2025

Here's looking at you, kid!

Goodnight, my dear Martha.

Tim

Tim Bishop

January 22, 2025

To the several friends, colleagues and family who have posted kind and thoughtful messages here regarding my wife, Martha Bishop, please accept my sincere thanks. I am grateful, indeed.

One of my hopes is that Martha gets to read each of your remembrances.

How you can show support

Get email updates whenever changes are made.

Send flowers

Consider sending flowers.

Add photos

Share their life with photo memories.

Plant trees

Honor them by planting trees in their memory.

Donate in Memory

Make a donation in memory of your loved one.

Share this page

Invite other friends and family to visit the page.

Tim Bishop

January 22, 2025

Stan Watkins, not including dinner theaters among Martha's acting venues in her obit was an unintentional omission on my part. Thanks for adding that information here.

If I too may add some additional information ..... As Martha's age advanced, memorizing lines and recalling them for accurate recitation during performance became more challenging for her. Playwright Stan Watkins, who authored the plays and wrote the scripts as well as producing and directing his Crime & Merriment Mysteries dinner theater shows, then cast Martha in roles that included the legitimate prop of a clip board that she would carry. Yes, Martha, my wife by the way, used the clip board to conceal a copy of her lines, which she could, as part of performing her role, view from time to time during the performance of the play. That worked very well, thanks to Stan's creative casting and direction, and extended Martha's participation in Stan's dinner theater shows by a several additional productions.

Many thanks to you Stan for giving Martha the opportunity in your dinner theater group to do what she loved so much, performing and entertaining audiences. You are a good man, Mr. Stan Watkins, as well as, a good show-man too.

Tim Bishop

January 21, 2025

My dear Martha,

Here's looking at you, kid!

Tim

P. S. - "Casablanca" was our favorite movie.

Jan maria Jagush

January 21, 2025

Tim,
I was very sorry to hear of Marty`s passing. May your memories bring a smile to your face during this difficult time. She was a wonderful colleague.

Karen Frank

January 17, 2025

Tim, I am so sorry for your loss. Marty was so full of life and always ready to share her talents with others. May she rest in peace while we enjoy the memories of shared times together. Sending prayers for you and your family.

Rita Lukchis

January 15, 2025

Tim, my heartfelt condolences to you and your family on the loss of your dear wife Martha. May the wonderful memories you have bring you comfort.

Rose Anne Von Hollen and family

January 14, 2025

Dear Tim and family,
Marty was such a vibrant personality and a continuous learner as the responsibilities grew with the times in the media center at Bethel Middle School. She was a wonderful colleague and dedicated educator. I always enjoyed working with her on projects alongside my students. with time may wonderful memories bring much comfort.

Kathy Matusiak

January 14, 2025

I hadn´t seen Marty in years, but I have fond memories of her. May she rest in peace.

Stan Watkins

January 13, 2025

Martha will be missed. She performed with us (Crime & Merriment Mysteries) off and on for many years. She was the consummate professional performer but more importantly, a wonderful person.

Susan Anderson

January 13, 2025

Marty lit up every room she entered, and generously shared her talents with the Library!

Lisa DuBack

January 13, 2025

I was so saddened to hear about the passing of this lovely, stylish, talented lady. I had only known her for a few months at church but I was looking forward to getting to know Marty & Tim. My deepest sympathy to her family.

Nancy Knapp

January 13, 2025

Martha and I almost shared a birthday. 2 days separated us. We went to grade school and high school together and both graduated from The University of Indianapolis. Martha shared a love of horseback riding with me and my sister-in-law Linda Knapp McCreery. She gifted us with a solo at our marriage. She will always have a place in my heart. Nancy Brandlein Knapp.

Maria, Shayn and Deanna Bishop

Planted Trees

Sandy Rankin

January 9, 2025

Marty was an excellent and enthusiastic reader at the Bethel Y for the United Way's Ready Set Let's Read program since 2018. She will be sorely missed by the staff of the school and by the preschoolers who so enjoyed their time with her. I'd like to offer my thanks for her volunteer time, and to offer condolences to her family and friends. Sandy Rankin, Volunteer Coordinator for Ready, Set, Let's Read.