Juanita June Bishop

JUANITA "COOKIE" BISHOP, long-time Royal Oak area resident, passed away at age 97, peacefully and with grace, surrounded in love, on November 12, 2016. She is now dancing up in Heaven with her beloved "Johnnie." She is survived by her loving children Ken (Carol) Bishop, Laurie (Greg) Sweeney, Kevin (Karen) Bishop, five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her husband John and son David (Angie) Bishop. Her final resting place is at Oakview Cemetery, Royal Oak, MI. You are invited to share a memory with the family at www.SullivanFuneralDirectors.com Juanita June Cook was born on October 11, 1919, to Henry and Lavina Cook, in Lansing, Michigan. She had two brothers, Kenneth and Keith, and one sister, Hila. She graduated in 1938 and enrolled in Cleary College in Howell but received a civil service job offer before entering. She worked for Michigan Unemployment Commission for three years before getting married and choosing to raise a family of four children. She re-entered the workplace later in life, at which time she enjoyed a 15-year career at Sears in the drapery department. "Cookie," as she was known to many friends, was an avid reader, loved playing cards and Scrabble, and took great pride in completing crossword puzzles. Mom met the love of her life, John Bishop, in 1940 while she lived at the YWCA in Highland Park and he at the YMCA. They married in June 1941, and Dad entered the Navy in 1943, served four years, and they moved to Oak Park. Years later, they moved to their house on Midland in Royal Oak, where we lived for several years. Dad's career included being transferred a few times: to Lansing, Minnesota, and back to the area, where we lived in Madison Heights for 10 years. Dad passed away unexpectedly in 1976, and Mom eventually moved in to Barton Towers, a senior co-op apartment building in Royal Oak, where she resided for 30+ years. She was active in many committees, groups, and charity causes as well as an officer of the building for several years; and she loved being a contributing writer and editor of the building's newsletter. The family was thankful for her to be living nearby in a setting where she maintained her independence and made countless friends over the length of her stay in Barton Towers. It was not an easy transition to make at first, being a relatively young resident at a senior co-op, but she quickly adapted and thoroughly enjoyed living there. A gradual decline in mobility over the later years at the apartment led to her change of address to Cambridge South Healthcare Center, in Beverly Hills, Michigan. Mom was fortunate to be paired with a roommate, "Ro," whom she found to be a welcome addition to her new lifestyle in a care facility. The two became fast friends, sharing stories and memories on a multitude of subjects, and kept each other in good spirits while maintaining their sense of humor, which was so important to both of them. Even though she had many interests and hobbies and enjoyed time with friends over the years, nothing was ever more important to Mom than her family. A constant worrier, she always put the well-being of her children before any other concern. Her wit remained sharp longer than we could have hoped for; and, although her body began to fall victim to the aging process later in her life, her spirit and love of life was a joy for all of us to have been a part of. Our hearts are broken in her passing, but we could not have wished for a more loving mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother and feel so very blessed and grateful to have had her for as long as we did. We'll forever cherish and honor her memory all the days of our lives.

Juanita June Bishop

October 11, 1919 - November 12, 2016