Valerie Joan Bishop died peacefully at her home in England on September 18. She was 93 years old.

She was born in 1928 in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to John and Audrey Spurway. Her family returned to England in 1935 where she attended St. Margaret’s and joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service.

In 1952 she married Michael Bishop in Devon, England. In 1956 they bought Thorn Farm, a dairy farm, which they ran together for nine years.

In 1965 Michael was called to the ministry with the Church of England. Valerie supported him in his ministries across various parishes. In 1976, she and her family came to St. Ambrose Episcopal Church in Claremont for six months as part of an exchange program between the Episcopal Church and the Church of England celebrating the U.S. bicentennial.

She returned to Claremont in 1981 when her husband was offered the position of rector at St.Ambrose Episcopal Church. She was a lay reader, a member of a professional employer association, and actively involved in the Claremont community. The couple retired in 1989 and returned to England.

In her retirement she stayed involved in church life, traveled the world, and spent time with her family. Her last move was to Colkirk, Norfolk in 2005. She was widowed in 2007.
She is survived by her two sons, Tim and Ian, their spouses, and grandchildren Emma and Owen.

A funeral will be held October 8 at St. Mary Church, Colkirk, England. In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated to St. Ambrose Episcopal Church at https://www.stambroseclaremont.org/giving, or by check to 830 W. Bonita Ave., Claremont, CA 91711.