Vincent D. Bishop

1920 - 2012

Vincent D. Bishop, 91, passed peacefully at home on February 11, 2012. He was born May 23, 1920 in Honesdale, PA, eldest son of Eugene H. and Lynette Highouse Bishop. His wife was the former Lucille Soete, also a Honesdale native. They were married in 1943.

Vincent graduated from Honesdale High School in 1939 and attended Penn State Wilkes-Barre while working at The Wayne Independent newspaper. He was an early Army draftee from Wayne County in 1941, just before Pearl Harbor. Upon discharge in 1945, Vincent enrolled at Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Philadelphia. Graduating with honors as a Doctor of Optometry in 1949, he came to Tunkhannock to open an office at 93 Warren Street. Dr. Bishop was a 27 year member of the Tunkhannock Kiwanis Club, Advisor to the Explorer Unit of the Boy Scouts, a founder of the Tunkhannock Industrial Foundation, a member of the Church of the Nativity, B.V.M., a life member of the Tunkhannock Scholarship Loan Fund, and a member of the local American Legion Post. For several decades, Vincent decorated the Court House Bandstand for Memorial Day. He was past president of the North East PA Optometric Society and a member of the North East PA Mineralogical Society.

Dr. Bishop was a true nature lover and was very devoted to our PA woodlands. Also, he enjoyed sailing his catamaran at Lake Carey where he was a long time summer resident with his family. He retired from his Optometric practice in 1982. His partner, Dr. Davis Haire, continues the practice today. During the next decade, Vincent and Lucille traveled throughout all 50 states.
Vincent lived the qualities which mark all great individuals – humility, faith, family, charity and community. He shunned notoriety and acknowledgments, and always sought to use his gifts to the best of his ability and to do the right thing.

Dr. Bishop was predeceased by his wife of 68 years, Lucille. He is survived by their three daughters: Brenda Bishop, VMD of Carthage, NC; Jessica B. Young of Longmeadow, MA and Charlotte, NC; and Elise B. Ross of Chatham Township, NJ. He is also survived by five grandchildren: Stuart F. Young III, Trevor Vincent Young, Kaitlyn A. Ross, John P. Ross and Brendan C. Ross, and one great grandchild, Stuart F. Young IV. His brothers Byron and Eugene also survive him.

Funeral arrangements are by Sheldon-Kukuchka Funeral Home, Tunkhannock. A private memorial mass was held for the immediate family at the Church of the Nativity, B.V.M. Private interment of his cremains was at Sunnyside Cemetery.

In Vincent's memory, the family requests that contributions be made to The Seeing Eye, P.O. Box 375, Morristown, NJ 07963-0375.