To: The St. Lawrence Community
From: William L. Fox, President
Date: April 26, 2010
Subject: In Memory: Winfred "Gene" Bishop, Jr.
With sadness I report to you the death last evening of Winfred “Gene” Bishop, an audio-visual specialist at St. Lawrence for 21 years, from 1987 until his retirement in 2008.
Gene was well known by faculty and staff for helpful and supportive service, no matter what they needed. At one time, that meant pushing our only projector and computer cart across campus in the snow so a class could use technology. If you attended events such as Commencement, Convocation, Matriculation or Moving-Up Day during the years Gene worked at St. Lawrence, you benefited from his dedication and standards of excellence.
Gene's colleagues have shared many stories about his experiences here; those he valued most were the ones that supported students. A co-worker just recounted for me that he once set up a projector in the Augsbury pool so swimmers could watch Jaws while floating on rafts. He had a sense of humor in his work. Diligence and dedication were hallmarks of a long and successful career during which he helped create our first generation of technology-enhanced classrooms in the late 1990s.
Lynn and I are saddened by Gene’s death and send our condolences to all who worked with him over the years, most especially, of course, his wife, Debbie Bishop, who is an integral member of our the First-Year Program staff, and their daughter Whitney '12.
A memorial service with Military Honors will be held on Wednesday, April 28 at 2:30 p.m. at Green Funeral Home in Hermon with Rev. Shaun Whitehead, presiding and Tom and Nellie Coakley as speakers. A memorial veteran plaque will be placed in the Hermon Cemetery. Friends may call at the Green Funeral Home in Hermon on Tuesday, April 27 from 7 to 9 p.m. A luncheon will follow the memorial service on Wednesday at the Hermon Fire Hall.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Gene’s name to the Bishop Book Fund at St. Lawrence University. An award from the Bishop Book Fund is given to students from the North Country their first year at St. Lawrence University to help defray the cost of their book expenses. This fund was created by Gene and Debbie in 2007. To make a donation or to Hospice of the St. Lawrence Valley, 315-265-3105 or www.hospiceslv.org .
