Elizabeth Menten "Beth" Bishop

1930 - 2022

Elizabeth Menten Bishop (Beth) passed away peacefully, surrounded by family in Juneau, on March 17, 2022 at the age of 91. Beth was born to Thomas Henry Menten and Gladys Keller Menten on July 28, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois. She was preceded in death by her husband Daniel Bishop (Dan); siblings Helen Serfling, Kay Hannigan, Thomas Menten, Gladys Latshaw, and Sr. Edwinna Menten; sister-in-laws Elizabeth Bishop, and Lynn Engel; and brother-in-laws Robert Bishop and Grant Bishop. She leaves behind daughters Gretchen Bishop; Brita Bishop and partner Paul Kaiser; Justine Bishop and husband Alex Fimbres; and Kathy Williamson; son Nathan Bishop and wife Amanda Arra; grandsons Corwin Kelly and Adam Bishop; granddaughter Sion Colmus and partner David Wink; and great grandchildren, Makena Ward, Rilyn Songer, and Eddy Wink.

After graduating from Framingham College with a degree in home economics in 1955, she was hired by Procter and Gamble to travel the East Coast doing demonstrations on cooking and home appliances. Beth met her husband, Dan, when her brother Thomas Menten married his sister Elizabeth Bishop. After a whirlwind courtship, they married in Melrose, Massachusetts in 1957.

Soon after their wedding, Beth and Dan moved to LaGrande, Oregon where Dan worked as a research forester and daughter Gretchen was born in 1959, and then on to Juneau, Alaska in 1960. The family then spent summers on Prince of Wales Island living in a float house and daughter Brita was born in Ketchikan in 1961. In 1964, the family moved to Girdwood where Beth was a homemaker and Dan tried his hand at carpentry. Son Nathan was born in Anchorage in 1965.

Beth and family returned to Juneau in 1966 and purchased the old Mitchell homestead on Auke Lake, gradually transforming the original log cabin and partially finished house into the warm and welcoming home that daughter Justine came home to in 1967. Over the years, they added gardens, trees, a dock, dogs, cats, chickens, ducks and eventually, horses. Beth and Dan also nurtured a number of foster children, building long-term relationships that enriched the lives of the entire family. For many years, their Auke Lake home was the center of gatherings and celebrations for family and friends. Beth enjoyed singing and was a member of the Saint Paul Singers and sang in many holiday choirs as well. She was also very involved with Auke Bay School, serving on its site council and helping to start Sea Week, a cross country ski program, and a multi-age group classroom.

Beth put her degree back to work administering the Southeast Senior Nutrition Program of Catholic Community Services in 1973. She was an excellent administrator, supervisor and grant-writer and expanded the nutrition program while simultaneously parenting and helping husband Dan with his environmental consulting business, Environaid.

Beth lived a brave and adventurous life, adapting to new circumstances with grace and humor. In 1979, she and Dan bought a sailboat on the East Coast, and the family sailed it south and then through the Panama Canal, and back up the West Coast to Alaska, creating lifelong family memories enroute.

After Dan's early death from cancer in 1991, Beth went back to work for the Juneau library system. She used her vacation time to take trips with her sister Gladys to Europe, Russia, China, South America, Africa, and even Antarctica. She remained engaged with family and community, berry picking, gathering wild edibles and mushrooms, swimming in Auke Lake, and going for picnics and walks at the Auke Beach Recreation area and at the Mendenhall Glacier. A consummate homemaker she also loved reading and sharing her knowledge of nutrition, health, and cooking and playing word games---Beth usually won at Scrabble. She retired from the library in 2013 and subsequently volunteered with the Friends of the Library for many years.

Living in Alaska, far from her east coast family, Beth welcomed extended family and friends into her home. Her warmth and wisdom kept her surrounded by people who thought of her as a second mother. Tall, lovely and well-spoken, Beth will be remembered, and greatly missed, for her kindness, grace, and generosity.

Also left behind are nieces: Catherine Hannigan, Mary Hannigan, Margaret Hannigan, Christine Pearse, Ellen Latshaw-Cuniffe, Elizabeth Menten-Weil, Eugenie Menten, Rebecca Llenas, Anne Baskett, Robyn Boughner, and Kim Boughner; and nephews: Robert Serfling, Stephen Hannigan, Frederick Hannigan, Arthur Hannigan, John Hannigan, Michael Latshaw, Lawrence Menten, Thomas Menten, Erik Menten, Paul Menten, Nils Menten, Donald Briscoe, Richard Boughner, and Timothy Boughner.

Beth was Catholic and there will be a memorial service to celebrate her life at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Juneau at 1:00 on May 7, 2022 with reception to follow at 2:00 at St. Paul's Parish Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to Catholic Relief Services. The Bishop family expresses their appreciation to the staff of the Juneau Pioneers Home for their warm-hearted care.