Terry Robert Bishop, age 92, of Dixon, Illinois, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 30 at Heritage Square where he had resided since 2019. Terry was born on April 3, 1930, on the former Forward farm south of Prophetstown, Illinois in the Leon Community, the eldest of four children born to Ivan M. and Florence L. Forward Bishop. Terry attended elementary school at Leon, then at Jefferson Corners. He graduated from Prophetstown High School in 1948. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1951 and served four years during which he was stationed at the Sheyma Air Force Base on the Aleutian Islands during the Korean Conflict.
Terry studied at Bradley University and graduated from Tri-State University in Angola, Indiana in 1956 with a degree in Civil Engineering. He immediately began work with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) in the Division of Highways in the Dixon District Office.
On August 17, 1957, Terry married Rita F. McCormick, the daughter of Maurice J. and Isabel Ribordy McCormick of Tampico, Illinois, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tampico. They resided in Tampico, before later moving to Dixon. In 1968, Terry was transferred to the IDOT Central Office in Springfield where the couple lived for some 40 years, including 18 years in Chatham. Terry’s career at the Department of Transportation included ground-breaking work in the newly established Division of Right-of-Way. While raising his family he completed the licensure qualifications to become a Professional Engineer. He served as a Section Chief and Assistant Bureau Chief retiring after 35 years of total service to the agency. His professional achievements included 40 years as a member of the International Right-of-Way Association, serving as Illinois Chapter President and Chair of a seven-state regional chapter. Upon his retirement Terry worked as a successful land acquisition specialist for 15 years, consulting with several county highway departments. He retired a second time in 2005. The couple returned to Dixon to live in 2011 where Terry took an active role as President of the Autumnwood Homeowners Association. Raised a Methodist, Terry became a devout Catholic. For numerous years he sat on the parish council at St. Joseph’s Church in Chatham, maintained the grounds there as a volunteer, and was instrumental in the capital campaign to expand that church. In Dixon, he was a member of St. Anne Catholic Church.
Terry is preceded in death by his wife of 64 years Rita, his parents, and his brother Walter Bishop. He is survived by his children: Terry J. (Elizabeth) Bishop of Andover, MN, Christopher R. (Judy) Bishop of Kalispell, MT, and Erin (Andrew Cadigan) Bishop of Falmouth, ME; 6 grandchildren Colin Bishop, Peter (Jackie) Bishop, Kelsey (Collin) Blahut, Nathan Bishop, Ivan Cadigan, and Rhys Cadigan; great grandchildren Jackson, Kilian, Lennox, Hayden, Maddox, Freyja, Sophia, and Owen. He is also survived by his dear sisters, Jane Palmer and Athlene (Pete) Stokke and his sisters-in-law Marjorie Staelens and Judith Bishop as well as several much-loved cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Terry will be remembered for many things: his cigar, his colorful language, his sharp engineering mind, and his favorite expressions (“Get in the car, Rita!”). In an era before Google maps, he was relied upon for directions to anywhere in the country while avoiding road construction and city congestion. He loved to drive, especially to his beloved Montana where he held many, many fond memories and made many good friends. He was a skilled carpenter. Many a drink was served at “Ulcer Gulch,” the beautiful bar and entertainment space he constructed in every home he ever lived. When not sharing his hospitality at home, he could always be relied upon for bringing the party with him in the form of his special portable bar “suitcase,” always stocked and ready-to-go. Terry was a model train aficionado and over the years created a remarkable HO model train set that meandered through the basements of his homes. His children were not allowed to touch it, but his grandchildren were never denied a chance at the controls. Terry was a man of few words, but when he talked, he had something to say, and people listened. His bluster hid a soft heart. He loved his wife and family deeply. His wisdom, advice, stories, and unique way with words will be sorely missed.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday April 15, 2023 with a 11:00 AM Mass of Christian Burial at St. Anne Catholic Church in Dixon. There will be a luncheon following the service. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Prophetstown at 2:00 PM. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 AM Saturday April 15, 2023 at the Jones Funeral Home in Dixon.
A memorial has been established to Heritage Square in Dixon where Terry and Rita received heartfelt care and love from the wonderful staff there.
