Dr. Terry Neal Bishop

1942 - 2017

Dr. Terry Neal Bishop, Superintendent of Pritchett School District RE3. Colorado Springs School District 11, and Austin ISD was born November 16, 1942,and died August 15, 2017, of prostate cancer, in Colorado Springs. As a young man, Terry was baptized, becoming a member of the Church of Christ in Killeen, Texas. Terry was also a 1961 graduate of Killeen High School, where he was honored as High Boy in his class, played basketball and tennis on teams that went to state all four years, and was loved for his friendly, engaging personality by classmates, colleagues, family, and almost everyone he met throughout his lifetime.

After earning his B.S. in 1965 and his M.A. in 1966 as a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Abilene Christian University, Terry also achieved his PhD in Education Administration at the University of Texas in 1975. There, Terry and Dr. Wailand Bessant pioneered the use of computer programming to predict student enrollment and financial planning. This innovative work led Terry to Austin ISD where he worked twenty-two years rising to Superintendent. Then Colorado Springs District 11 hired Dr. Bishop as CIO to implement D11's five year technology plan, after which he again became Superintendent. After retiring in 2009, Terry served Colorado's 180 school districts as Executive Director of Colorado Online Learning until 2016. Finally, Dr. Bishop was Superintendent at Pritchett K-12 School in rural, southeastern Colorado from 2015-2017, which he enjoyed immensely, even as his health declined.

During his distinguished 50-year career in education, Dr. Bishop's mission was to provide the best possible education for all students through the integration of technology into instruction, creating a dynamic new paradigm for student success.

Dr. Bishop was preceded in death by his father, Clifford Andrew Bishop, his mother, Wilma Riley Bishop, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.Survivors include his wife Barbara Gill Bishop; sons Clifford Bishop and Kevin Bishop, grandson Andrew Bishop, and many cousins and friends. In addition to being a loving husband, father, and grandfather, Terry was an exceptional, irreplaceable presence in our lives.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions for collegiate or vocational scholarships for students of Pritchett School, Colorado Springs D11, or Austin ISD may be made to the Dr. Terry N. Bishop Memorial Scholarship Fund, at any Wells Fargo Bank.

A memorial service to celebrate the life of Dr. Bishop will be held in Killeen, Texas at the Church of Christ located at 400 North W.S. Young Drive at 10:00AM, on Friday, August 25, 2017, followed by a short graveside ceremony at the City of Killeen Cemetery.