AUBURN – Robert “Bob” Bishop, 90, passed away Thursday evening, June 2, at his daughter’s home in Auburn with his loving family at his side.

Bob was born in Auburn, Oct. 20, 1914, the middle son of Irving Howard Bishop and Ada Lown Bishop. He grew up on the North River Road and worked on his grandparents’ farm, which is now Gracelawn Cemetery.

He spent many youthful Julys on the Additon farm as a rake boy.

He graduated from Edward Little High School in 1932 and married his high school sweetheart, Mona Jane Jewett, on Aug. 18, 1934. They spent many happy years together raising their five children. Mona passed away May 27, 2003.

He worked 23 years for Milliken-Thompson, first as a truck driver, then as a produce manager. After leaving Milliken-Thompson, he worked for 25 years at Food Town, which is now Hannaford. He loved helping people find the right fruits and vegetables. He knew almost every variety and was always surprised to hear today’s prices of produce.

After he retired, he loved to spend his spare hours at Farmer Whiting’s, helping Buster and Elmer.

He was a member of High Street Congregational Church and among his favorite enjoyments were reading, especially about history, and playing cribbage.

Bob also loved to garden and always had a supply of carrots for the neighborhood children. If you ever saw his garden, you would know he enjoyed spending many hours there, farming organically, even picking the bugs one by one. His favorite saying was “One for me and one for the bugs.” He and his wife, Mona, canned enough tomatoes and pickles every year to supply the entire extended family. Bob and Mona enjoyed cooking for all the family gatherings. You could always count on a 30-pound turkey every Thanksgiving and Christmas. July Fourth was a special time for them, with a family lobster feed at their Harpswell cottage that he built. Bob was a man of his word and a handshake was all he needed.

He is survived by his three daughters, Joanna Smith and her husband, Richard, of Auburn, Bonnie Sollien and her partner, Don Miville, of Auburn, Wendy Ayotte and her husband, Paul, of Turner; two sons, Robert Bishop Jr. and his wife, Frances, of Lewiston, and Bruce Bishop and his wife, Dominicana, of Providence, R.I.; plus 11 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his four brothers, Irving, Wesley, Carlton and Allen.

Copy the Story Link