Carl R. Bischoff

Carl Richard Bischoff, age 88, of Queen Creek, AZ, passed away peacefully September 10, 2021, after courageously battling Multiple Myeloma for five years. He died at Dobson Home-Hospice of the Valley, Chandler, AZ, with his loving wife of 13 years, Marilyn Arlin Bischoff, by his side. Carl was born August 27, 1933, to the late Chester M. and Mae Alexander Bischoff in Lancaster, PA.

After graduating from McCaskey High School in Lancaster, PA, Carl enlisted in the US Air Force and served as a bassoonist with the U.S. Air Force Band, stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, Washington, DC. In 1955, he married Barbara Hume Bischoff (1934-2002) in Lancaster, PA, remaining married to her for 47 years until her death. The couple then moved to South Whitehall Township in Allentown, PA, where they started a family. Carl worked in Allentown for over 30 years as a Communications Consultant with Bell Telephone of Pennsylvania/ATT until his retirement. He then continued his career as a supervisor with HealthPage and as a member of the security team at Lehigh Valley Hospital.

Carl was well-known in the Allentown vicinity as a dedicated community volunteer and public servant for over three decades. He served in leadership roles with the Allentown Lions Club and Jaycees and volunteered with the Cetronia Ambulance Corps, Western Salisbury Volunteer Fire Company, and the American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania disaster team. He was awarded, the most prestigious Red Cross volunteer award: the Clara Barton Award for Meritorious Volunteer Leadership. In a 1988 interview in The Morning Call newspaper, then Allentown Fire Chief Ernest Toth described Carl as one of "the most dedicated people that I've ever seen in volunteer relief work for the Red Cross."

After Barbara died in 2002, he moved to Noblesville, IN, to be closer to family. There, he continued his volunteer service at the Greater Indianapolis Red Cross and met fellow volunteer and future wife, Marilyn Arlin, an accomplished pianist, composer, and children's book author. Carl and Marilyn married in 2008 and moved to Queen Creek, AZ to start the next chapter of his life.

Throughout his life, Carl was a classical music aficionado. He always kept his vehicles in tip-top shape and enjoyed road trips, especially his first cross country excursion with son-in-law John Stierch, followed by his Indiana to Arizona adventure with Marilyn. He was a master at clever and witty word play, loved a good pun, and was a stickler about perfect grammar. When he lived in Allentown, he was an avid camper and loved spending summers at Little Squam Lake in New Hampshire, fishing and boating with his family and friends who also summered there year after year. When he moved to Arizona, he loved spending every moment with Marilyn-attending classical music concerts, exploring Arizona's natural beauty, and playing their daily games of scrabble on the back patio.

Carl is survived by his wife Marilyn; three children, B.J. Bischoff (husband John Stierch) of Sonoma, CA; Bob Bischoff of Scottdale, AZ; and Debbie Miller (husband Marty) of Minnetrista, MN and two stepchildren, Michael Sachs (wife Linda) of Carmel, IN and Mark Sachs (wife Susan) of Indianapolis, IN. He is also survived by five grandchildren Alexandra Bischoff, Seattle, WA; Emma Bischoff, Salem, MA; Adam Bischoff, Boston, MA; Matthew Miller, Richfield, MN; and Michael Miller, Minneapolis, MN. He is further survived by eight step-grandchildren, Sarah Stierch, Jennifer Stierch, Stephanie Sachs, Rachell Sachs, Gabriel Sachs, Natalie Sachs, Ben Sachs, and Eric Sachs and two step-greatgrandchildren, Kennedy and Scarlett Sachs. He was preceded in death by his first wife Barbara Hume Bischoff, brother Allan A. Bischoff, and sister Doris Mae Bischoff, who died in infancy.

Memorial gifts may be made to Banner Health Foundation (https://www.bannerhealthfoundation.org/) or the American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Region (https://www.redcross.org/donate/memorial-donations.html/).