Evelyn Grissinger Sargent

Evelyn Grissinger Bishop Sargent

Evelyn Grissinger Bishop Sargent fell asleep in death on Friday, September 18, 2009, at her home in Keswick, Virginia.

She was born on January 7, 1919, in Keswick and lived her entire life in the Charlottesville area.

Mrs. Sargent was the fifth of seven children born to Norman Kurtz and Bertha Shepherd Grissinger.

She was preceded in death by her parents; by her successive husbands, Clarence M. Bishop and Peter Sargent; and by both of her children, Ronald Melvin Bishop and Norman Michael Bishop. Also preceding her in death were four siblings, Harry Lee Grissinger, Benjamin Franklin Grissinger, Elizabeth Grissinger Kimrey, and Alice Grissinger Amiss; as well as two nephews, Frank Grissinger Jr. and Dennis Brown.

Mrs. Sargent is survived by her brother, Norman K. Grissinger of Charlottesville, Virginia; her sister, Frances Grissinger Brown of Homasassa, Florida; five grandchildren, Steven A. Bishop, Danielle Bishop Perkins, Andrew S. Bishop, Lynn Bishop Good and Dustin M. Bishop; her nieces, Debra Swisher, Vickie Thomas, Pat Sever, Shirley Nardone and Barbara Warren; her nephews, Steven Kimrey, Garry Brown, Tim Brown, and Norman Brown; and numerous great-grandchildren, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Evelyn Sargent loved life and lived it to the full. She had a sharp, inquisitive mind, and loved to learn new things. She was always anxious to understand why things were the way they were. She was not afraid or embarrassed to change her mind when she learned truths that challenged her previous understanding of a matter. She was a cheerful, yet fiercely loyal person, who loved her family and friends very much. She was vivacious, generous, considerate, fearless and funny, and was filled with such spontaneity and spunk that those whom she met were naturally drawn to her.

While yet a young child, Evelyn developed a deep love for God and always desired to know what was required to please Him. Even at a tender age, she would walk more than a mile from her family's home in Keswick to the closest church to attend services on Sundays, often getting dressed and going alone if the rest of the family didn't go. In the mid 1940's, Evelyn was contacted by one of Jehovah's Witnesses and began to study the Bible with a member of the local congregation. She learned that the Bible holds out a guaranteed promise that the earth will soon be restored to a paradise by means of God's Kingdom, and she became convinced that she should dedicate her life to her loving creator, Jehovah, and get baptized. This she did in 1950 and she remained a faithful follower of Jesus Christ as one of Jehovah's Witnesses until the day of her death. Now, Evelyn rests peacefully in God's memory, awaiting a resurrection to a restored paradise earth, one in which the human family will have the prospect of enjoying life without end, free from all sickness and disease. (Rev. 21:1-4) Those who knew her wait eagerly to see her in the resurrection.

Her family wishes to extend deep gratitude to those who cared for her so lovingly in her declining years. Specifically, her physician, Dr. Angela Stiltner and nurse, Sandra Patterson, showed exceptional kindness and professionalism in their caregiving. Also, the loving, attentive, and diligent care given to Mrs. Sargent by her caregivers Anita Carwile, Curtis Lambert and Starlia Moore, will long be remembered and appreciated by Evelyn's family.

The family will receive visitors at Teague Funeral Home on Ivy Road from 7 until 8 p.m. Friday, September 25, 2009.

A memorial service will be held at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 665 Old Lynchburg Road, Charlottesville, Virginia, 2 p.m. Saturday, September 26, 2009. Interment will follow at Monticello Memory Gardens.

Friends may sign the guest register at teaguefuneralhome.com.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.