10/11/2022
Arthur Patrick “Pat” Bishop, a native of Dallas, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on September 29, 2022, soon after his 76th birthday. Born on September 3, 1946, to Arthur Elvie Bishop and Ida Lois Butler Bishop, he was the second of five children. Pat grew up in east Dallas and attended Hillcrest High school, class of 1964.
Pat was known for his athletic achievements. At age 6 he began riding the bus alone to go downtown to the Dallas Athletic Club for gymnastics. The first time, he got lost and cried and a man helped him find his way there. He knew his way after that. At age 7, he became the youngest person to swim across Lake Dallas, a mile-and-a-half long swim. Pat excelled in diving, gymnastics, baseball, football, golf, and finally in the sport for which he was best known, boxing. He began boxing at the Dallas Athletic Club at the age of 14. By the time he was 15, he began his Golden Gloves tournaments as a bantamweight. Before graduating high school, he won the title of Texas Golden Gloves Lightweight Champion 1964. He advanced to the national semifinals in Louisville, KY, was an alternate for the Olympic team, and fought as a professional boxer for a year and a half, winding up with a 17-1 total record.
After high school, he attended North Texas State University while continuing his professional boxing career. During this time he married his high school sweetheart, Joleta Bailey, & began his family.
In 1966, he and his father started Bishop Pawn in Oak Cliff. Pat was a true gentleman who strived to run an honest business. He was one of the first pawnshop owners to open all of his records to the Dallas Police Dept. to prevent thieves from pawning stolen goods. If they were reported stolen, he returned them to their owner. This is now required by law in Texas pawn shops.
As he learned the pawn business, he developed an appreciation for jewelry. After finishing a gemology course, he was invited to study in the diamond district in New York. He began manufacturing custom jewelry in 1975 and started Bishop Jewelry Manufacturing. At one point he had eight stores in the DFW area and made wholesale jewelry for notable Dallasites and celebrities, some of whose photos can be found on the wall of fame in his office.
In 1992 Pat married his current wife, and the love of his life, Judy McLean, and they have lived and loved every day since.
He loved sitting in his office visiting with clients and friends who regularly dropped in just to say hello (and sometimes have their jewelry polished or repaired). His success was due to his passion for life and people. He truly loved working and making beautiful jewelry for clients, just as he loved training and competing in athletics. He still has several employees who have been with him over 40 years… his work family.
Pat was a 52-year member, a respected and loved brother of Metropolitan Masonic Lodge 1182 AF & AM. He received his 40 and 50-year service Awards from Metropolitan 1182 and was also an affiliated member of Claude L Austin Masonic Lodge 1450 AF & AM.
In addition to his parents, he is predeceased by his sister, Michele, brother, Kelly, and sister, Nanette. He is survived by his wife, Judy Bishop; ex-wife and forever friend, Joleta Bailey Bishop (Bob Schucany); children, Tana Bishop Parsons, and son-in-law, John; Ellie Bishop McKenzie, and Ty Bishop; five grandchildren, Bailey & Hank Parsons, Jeannette, Max, and Alexandra McKenzie; sister, Melanie Bishop (husband, Bobby Bergey); and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A service celebrating Pat’s life will be held at St Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church (8011 Douglas Ave, Dallas, TX 75225) on October 12, 2022 at 1:00pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his honor to Scottish Rite Hospital https://scottishriteforchildren.org/ or Shriners Hospital https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/texas.
