Beverly Bishop Obituary

Beverly Alden Bishop
Beverly Alden Bishop, age 83, of Castine, Maine, passed away peacefully on
Friday, May 23, 2025, after a courageous battle with cancer. Bev is survived by her
sister Barbara Bishop Mennell and two nephews, John and Dan, along with their extended
families.
Bev was born on August 19, 1941 in St. Louis, Missouri and is predeceased by
her loving parents, Daniel Sanborn Bishop and Florence Alden Johnston. Bev attended
Glendale Grade School, Kirkwood High School, Texas Christian University (BA), St. Louis
University, and Webster University (MS Media Studies 1977). She received 4 degrees
including Masters degrees in Economics and Marketing.
In school, Bev was always the class president, the team captain, or the club
leader. She was a champion swimmer and competed in the junior Olympics when she
was 16.
Bev grew up in a very politically aware family as her father was a syndicated Editorial
Cartoonist (Night Rider) with the St. Louis Post Dispatch. The exposure to world events
likely helped influence Bev to become the advocate she was for many worthy causes. She
was very passionate about human rights issues, protested against the Vietnam war, and
stood up to protest for Civil Rights. When Bev thought people needed to listen and be
aware, she had no problem informing them. She spoke her mind without hesitation. Ask
anyone who knew her, Bev was a force of nature.
Bev was also successful in business. She was a partner in a company named Proud and
helped to sell advertisements, which made the company extremely successful. Bev then
went on to join another woman-owned company, Lady Smith Limited, which helped
create and publish cookbooks in the Pacific Northwest. Bev was also an adjunct professor
of media studies/marketing at Webster University in St. Louis from 1983–2005. Bev also
became a licensed paramedic in St. Louis and was a volunteer EMT with the Bagaduce
Ambulance Corps.
Bev was an avid outdoors person, hiker, sailor, and gardener. She was also a pet lover and
an accomplished cook.
Bev loved unique adventurous trips that took her off the beaten path. She
climbed 18 peaks over 14,000 feet in elevation and traveled the world extensively. She
traveled across China and Nepal with sherpas. She roamed the world's jungles searching
for wildlife. She stayed with the Maasai in Africa, and traveled upriver to visit other
tribes. Bev mushed sled dogs across frozen glaciers and fly-fished in Patagonia. Her last
big adventure was with her dear friend Diana Bernard. They traveled to the Antarctic to
see the penguins and whales. She never shied away from an adventure because she never
wanted to miss out on a unique and unexpected life experience.
Bev's daily routine gave her a sense of order and control. Yet, she was one of the most
adventurous free spirits who lived without boundaries. Bev ignored obstacles that might
have caused others to hesitate or to give up. She was not held back by financial
limitations, social convention, or fear of the unknown. Bev's projects and thought
process helped others think outside the box along with her.
In Castine, Bev helped guide and mentor the many MMA students she fostered over the
years. Many of them continued to keep in touch with Bev through their adult lives.
As one looks around Castine, it is easy to see without looking too far, something that was
either built, or inspired, by Bev Bishop. Some instances include providing a workshop in
her basement to make paddle boards or create pottery. She envisioned and
implemented a place to swap books at The Book Boat, helped spruce up
the Castine Visitor Center with a Lighthouse to display brochures, and gathered a team to
build community sitting swings at Fort Madison and the backshore beach.
She promoted expanding bird and plant habitats and was on the Board of Directors of the
Downeast Chapter of the Maine Audubon Society. Bev was instrumental in
starting the Castine Touring Company with other dedicated community members.
Bev was the Visual Arts Chair of Castine Arts Association for years and started "Art of "
series, including Flyfishing, Quilting, Locker Rug Hooking, Zen Tangles, Batik Scarfs, Nuno
Felting, Paddleboards, Woodworking, and Photography.The Art of Adventure series
included Museum Mania and cooking classes.
Bev had many more community projects in mind. She is one of the brains behind
the Castine Rowing Company, which is to be launched this summer. And, as recently as
this spring, she was recruiting friends to help reimagine the Dyce's Head Lighthouse
keeper's house as an Airbnb run by the town, to promote tourism and raise town funds.
Bev loved the water and boating. She was a Midwest Sailing Champion, racing two or
three times every weekend on the Great Lakes of Michigan for 18 years with her sailing
partner Ralph Coffee. In Castine, Bev made her own wooden kayak, "Precious", and
encouraged a large group of friends to meet for a weekly paddle. She loved being the
captain and traveling on overnight cruises with friends on her boat "Tortoise." In her
younger years she loved to sail and participated in many sailing races. She accumulated
several sailing trophies.
In Castine, Bev put together a kayaking group, using her own small boat trailer, which
was rigged to carry 6–8 boats, allowing 10 to 15 people to travel up to an hour's
drive every week to explore many of the lakes, rivers, and harbors in the area.
Her love of good food and conversation was a perfect combination, with Bev's Liver &
Onion and Meatloaf Cookoff parties gaining legendary status.
Bev was an active, leading contributing member in every community she has
been associated with and strongly believed in "giving back." Bev meant so much to so
many people: a mentor, a teacher, and a friend. She will be greatly missed and forever
loved.
A memorial gathering for Bev will be held early this summer.
Donations in Bev's memory may be made to Castine Touring Company, PO Box 705,
Castine, ME 04421.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Beverly Alden "Bev" Bishop, please visit our floral store.