Marion Leo Bishop

Marion Leo Bishop was number 6 of ten children born to Earl Joshua and Etta May (Worley) Bishop. He was born August 9, 1928 at the farm located in Haskew Neighborhood in Woodward County Southwest of Freedom, Oklahoma. He attended public schools in Freedom, Quinlan and Mooreland, Oklahoma. In 1944 during World War II, he made the decision to leave high school and work to help his widowed mother with the expenses of the family after the two older brothers had been drafted. He worked as a farm laborer and cowboy. In February 1947, he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior at age 18 during a Sunday evening service at the Gospel Tabernacle in Woodward, OK. Early in 1950, God made it clear to him that it was His will for him to preach the Gospel and enter the Ministry. Obviously, this calling was made more difficult given he had interrupted his formal education. Marion was drafted into the service of the Korean Conflict on February 15, 1951. He was trained in the 47th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army Infantry at Camp Rucker, Alabama until November 1951. He then received orders to go to the Far East Command as a Rifleman. While being processed in Japan, he was selected to go to Eta Jima Specialist School for further training as a Radio Operator. After intense training, he became an Intermediate Speed Radio Operator. He was assigned to the 625th Field Artillery Battalion of the 40th Infantry Division near the front lines in South Korea. He fulfilled his military obligations and headed home on January 1, 1953, and was Honorably Discharged on February 12, 1953. In September of 1953, he moved to Amarillo, Texas to study the Bible at the Gospel Tabernacle to prepare for full-time Ministry. He worked during the day at Goforth Lumberyard and attended classes at night. In August of 1954, he met Donna Mae Peacock, a beautiful young woman with vocal talents at a tent revival in Woodward and fell in love with her. He soon moved to Wichita, Kansas to work and to be nearer to Donna Mae who lived in Cheney, Kansas, 25 miles from the city. Marion Leo Bishop and Donna Mae Iris Peacock were united in marriage January 30, 1955 at the Apostolic Faith Church in Cheney, Kansas. She was a priceless support in his many ministry endeavors through the almost 71 years of marriage. They served the Lord together as Gospel workers and Evangelists, under the direction of Rev. Earl Nielson, until their first child Glenna was born. In April 1956, they were called to serve as Pastors at "The Gospel Tabernacle" in Clovis, New Mexico. Some months later, with their second child, Nancy, about to make her way into their lives, they returned to Kansas to work. More opportunities to minister came as he was asked to be the Youth Director for a group of Full Gospel Churches who were in fellowship at that time and area Full Gospel Pastors had need for someone to fill their pulpits in their absence. Sunday School and Bible teaching responsibilities kept him actively studying God's word. The many writers of the various materials that were used gave him and insight of how to outline and prepare his sermons and teaching messages but, as time passed, he began to develop his sermons with little assistance. In 1957, he began working at The Boeing Company's Wichita plant as the Company was beginning production on the B-52 Bomber. In 1959, soon after Marcus was born, he learned of a "Field Trip" assignment available with Boeing in El Paso, Texas, at Biggs Air Force Base. He pursued it and was selected to go there on a five-year assignment. It was there they served the Lord at First Assembly of God by teaching young adults Sunday School class. Christine and Richard were born during these years. Upon completion of their Boeing assignment in August 1964, they returned to Wichita to live. His GED certificate was completed in Wichita in 1966 while employed at The Boeing Company. Stephen was born shortly thereafter in 1967. Later he served, with his wife and family, as Pastor at Kansas churches in Colby, Cheney, Plainville, Ness City and, later, Medicine Lodge. Prior to his first retirement while living and working in Plainville, he and Donna Mae attended the services at Stockton Assembly of God where he taught the Senior Adults Bible Class and occasionally filled the pulpits with area Pastors when needed. In 1993, following an injury while working at the Plainville school, and subsequently a light heart attack, they returned to Cheney to reside in the Peacock home and tried the retirement scene. He taught the Adult Sunday school Class at First Assembly of God Church in Cheney. After two years, and a definite touch from the Lord upon his body, he resigned the Sunday School class and began filling pulpits at various local churches regularly again. From 1955 to 2002, he and Donna Mae served churches in the Kansas District at Wellington, Coffeyville, Chetopa and Medicine Lodge as interim pastor where the Lord blessed significantly. In January 2002, he developed a heart condition again that required open heart surgery which left him unable to continue at the pace required to minister at that church and community. He re-retired at the end of April 2002. Preceding him in death are his parents, siblings and spouses, Georgia (George) Houghton, William (Dortha) Bishop, Ernest (Leona) Bishop, Mary (William) Clark, Lura Mae (William) Hartzell, Virgil (Ila) Bishop, Ruth (Marvin) Sullivan, Naomi (Merle) Holloway, and Bob Bishop. He leaves his faithful wife of 70 year and 11 months Donna Mae and their six children whom he loved so dearly; Glenna Bishop of Peck, KS, Nancy (Rodney) Plute of Springfield, MO, Marcus (Janna) Bishop of Wichita, KS, Christine (Glenn) Bradberry of Collierville, TN, Richard Bishop of Derby, KS and Stephen (Dr. Jennifer) Bishop of Oil City, PA; 15 grandchildren and their ten spouses;; 16 great-grandchildren numerous nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends whom he cherished. Memorials have been established with AGWM for Ryan and Lauren Plute; Overland Missions for Samuel Boshop; and Cheney First Assembly of God.

Visitation: 3:30-5:30pm, Thursday, January 1, 2026, Wulf-Ast Mortuary, 911 Biermann, Garden Plain, Kansas.

Funeral service: 10:30am, Friday, January 2, 2026, Central Community Church Chapel, 6100 W. Maple, Wichita, Kansas.

Viewing at the church prior to service from 9:30am-10:15am.

Graveside service: 2:00pm, Pioneer Cemetery, Cheney, Kansas.