Ivan Glenn Bishop

World War II Air Force Veteran, Sgt. Ivan Glenn Bishop, father, grandfather and great grandfather, met his Lord and Savior on March 4, 2020, at the age of 97. Graveside services will be held at 3:00 PM on Sunday, March 8, 2020, at Autumn Oaks Memorial Park in Orange, Texas, with Pastor Dale Lee officiating. Visitation for family and friends will be held from 2:30 PM until service time.

Ivan was born in Centertown, Kentucky, on Sunday, August 13, 1922. One of Ivan’s proudest accomplishments was serving his country as a soldier in the United States Air Force from 1942-1945. Due to his specialized training in radio and radar repair and setting up telephone communication, he served in numerous branches of the military such as, Signal Corps, Air Corps, Anti-Aircraft, Marines, Army and Air Force. He was finally honorably discharged by the Air Force at the completion of his service. Under the command of General Walter Kruger and General Douglas McArthur, Sgt. Bishop served nineteen consecutive months in the Asian Pacific. This included combat zones in the Philippines at Leyte, Okinawa, and Adaka Shima, a tiny island where he was stationed when his unit was notified that the Japanese had surrendered. The war was over, but he would not return to his home in Centertown, Kentucky, for five additional months due to lack of available transportation. Ivan frequently spoke with pride of his years spent defending his country. After his discharge from the Air Force in 1945, he married Alma Ross Barnard in Centertown, Kentucky, where his first daughter, Lana, was born. In 1954 he and his family moved to Orange, Texas, where he worked as an electrician constructing the Spencer Chemical Plant. In 1957 another daughter, Toni, was born. Ivan retired from GULF in 1984 which gave him time to spend with his two grandchildren, Kit Gebauer and Summer Duhon. He adored these two special children and spent countless hours entertaining them. They were the love of his life. On November 29, 2015, at the Houston Texans' Homecoming Game, Sgt. Ivan Bishop was the recognized Veteran during the Salute to Service ceremony. It was a memorable day that he cherished deeply.

Ivan was a loving husband, father, son, brother, grandfather, great grandfather and friend who will forever be loved and missed by all who knew him.

Ivan is survived by his loving daughters, Lana Drago and husband Mick, Toni Copley and husband, Dr. Robert Copley; grandchildren, Kit Gebauer and wife Allison, Dr. Summer Duhon and husband Dustin; step grandchildren, Matthew Drago and Pat, Marci Henley and Eddie, Brandy Copley and Shannon Copley; great grandchildren, Carson and Lawson Gebauer; Amrylin Duhon, Tuk Langford and Copley Duhon; Tristan Copley-Gallagher, Mary Grace Drago, Lilly Drago, Johnathon Peterson, Madison Henley, Maci Henley and Taylor Henley.

Ivan is preceded in death by his loving wife of 66 years, Alma Bishop; parents, Adam Helfrich and Georgia Bishop; brothers, Ray Bishop, Charles Bishop, Guy Bishop and Drexal Bishop; two sisters, Claradine Weber and Pauline Ashby.

Pallbearers honoring Ivan; Dustin Duhon, Kit Gebauer, Tony Hucko, Dr. Robert Copley, Matthew Drago, and Johnathon Peterson as well as Honorable Pallbearer, Mick Drago.

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