Mary Bishop

Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Bishop, Wyoming native and longtime Casper resident died early New Year's Day, January 1, 2013 at her home in Casper. She lived 93 ½ eventful years. Mary was born June 29, 1919 in Keeline, Wyoming. She was the daughter of Fred R. and Ida M. (Spaugh) Hilsmann. The Hilsmanns were in the ranching business in Manville, Wyoming before moving to Casper. Mary was schooled in Manville and Casper and graduated from Barnes Business School in Denver. As a young woman, she worked in the banking industry in Casper.

One evening she attended a Young Republican's meeting wearing a "jaunty" hat, and caught the eye of Jerome T. "Jerry" Bishop. They were married May 1942. After living on the east coast during World War II, the Bishop's moved into their home in Casper in 1948 and lived there for the rest of their lives. Mary was a stay at home mom for many years working as an elegant hostess and mother beside Jerry to build his career and reputation as a land man in Wyoming's oil and gas industry. Her soul mate, Jerry, died January 25, 1999.

In the 1960's, she began her own career in real estate. She was the first female real estate agent in Casper and followed by becoming the first female real estate broker. She owned and operated her own real estate agency, Bishop Real Estate. "Making your Move with Bishop" was a welcome slogan to many residents as she worked diligently to find the right home for her faithful clients. Her agency, located on the corner of Wolcott and Midwest, was a mainstay of the Casper business community for over 50 years. She was a charter member and president of Casper's Chapter of the Women's Council of the National Association of Real Estate Board, President of the Casper Board of Multiple Listing, Casper's Realtor of the year in 1973 and 2001, and Wyoming Realtor of the Year in 2001.

Mary was active in the community as well as real estate. She was a member of Wyoming Pioneers, the Natrona County Historical Society, the Wyoming Historical Society, Fort Caspar Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, First United Methodist Church, Casper Land Wives, Casper Petroleum Women, Order of Eastern Star, Casper Beautification Committee, and Casper Preservation Commission among other organizations.

She was Casper's Realtor of the year in 1973 and 2001 and Wyoming Realtor of the Year in 2001.

Her most recent passion was development of her husband's ancestral home, the Historic Bishop Home, into a Casper landmark. She served as Vice-president of the Cadoma Foundation, owner of this home, until her death. Mary was the inspiration behind the Bishop Home's popular afternoon teas always thinking of new themes to keep the events current. The teas will continue; her scones will be missed!

Mary is survived by daughters, Mary Elizabeth Bishop and her husband, Alan Fenwick, of Durham, North Carolina, and Susan Leigh Bishop and her husband, John Strombeck of Denver, Colorado and Casper Wyoming, a grandson, Stephen Bishop McNutt of Iowa, her devoted Miniature Schnauzer, Tessie, several nieces and nephews and many devoted friends who were like family to her. In addition to her beloved husband, she was preceded her in death, by her parents, a sister, and a brother.

Services will be held at the Newcomer's Chapel at 10:00 am Saturday January 5, 2013. Visitation will be from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Friday January 4th at Newcomer Funeral Home. Internment services will follow at Highland Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donation to Mary's favorite Wyoming Non-profit, the Cadoma Foundation, 220 E. Midwest Suite B, Casper, Wyoming 82601. www.cadomafoundation.org.

To share a special memory or leave a message for the family, please visit www.NewcomerCasper.com

Old Wyoming

Take me back to old Wyoming
Where there's plenty of room and air;
Where there's cottonwood and pine trees,
Greasewood an' prickly pear;
Where there ain't no pomp nor glitter,
Where a shillin's called a "bit,"
Where at night the magpies twitter
Were the Injun fights were fit.

Take me back where land is plenty,
Where there's rattlesnakes and ticks;
Where a stack of "whites" costs twenty,
Where they don't sell gilded bricks.
Where the swift Big Horn River
An' the winding North Platte
Wends through canyon an' Bad Lands,
Where the Long Horn grows fat.

Take me where there ain't no subways,
Nor no forty-story shacks;
Where they shy at automobiles
Dudes, plug hats an' three-rail tracks;
Where the old sun-tanned prospector
Dreams of wealth and pans his dirt,
Where the sleepy night herd puncher
Sings to steers and plies the quirt.

Take me where there's diamond hitches
Ropes an' brands an' ca'tridge belts;
Where the boys wear chapps for britches,
Flannel shirts an' Stetson felts.
Land of alkali an' cattle!
Land of sage brush an' of gold!
Take me back to dear Wyoming,
Let me die there when I'm old.
Chas. E. Morris
copyright 1909