Joel L Bishop Sr.

Joel L. Bishop, Sr. was born May 25, 1948 in Ooltewah, TN and passed away into eternal life Sunday, January 29, 2012. He was a member of Mt. Zion Church of God. He served in the United States Marine Corps, March 1969 until April 1971, where he received a Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Medal and a Purple Heart. Joel was a member of the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 203 in Chattanooga. Mr. Bishop was preceded in death by his father, Paul Bishop; brother, Bill Bishop; sister Diane Davis and several other loved ones. To forever cherish his memory, survivors include his wife, Carolyn Bishop; mother, Mary Bishop; son, Joel Lee Bishop, Jr. and wife, Melissa; daughter, Tammy Bishop and granddaughter, Bethany Price. He is also survived by his brothers, Ed Bishop and wife Sally, George Bishop, Cecil Bishop and Joe Bishop, Steven Bishop and wife, Elaine, and Alan Bishop and wife, Christine; sisters Betty Wilbanks and husband, Ed and Nolie Davis and husband, Sonny; aunt, Betty Shelby, uncle, Jack Raby and several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews, friends and church family. Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, February 2, 2012 in the chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home with the Reverend Ronnie Davis and Brother Horace Webb officiating. Interment will follow in Davis Family Cemetery in Meigs County with military honors. A white dove release ceremony will conclude the service. His family will receive friends 5:00 ? 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 31, 2012 and 3:00- 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at the funeral home. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Bishop family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com.