ROCKLAND — Priscilla M. Bishop, 94, passed away peacefully March 21, 2022, after a long illness, at the Knox Center for Long Term Care in Rockland.

Priscilla was born April 29, 1927 to Ralph C. and Phyllis (MacWhinnie) Clarke at Knox Hospital in Rockland. Educated in the Rockland schools, she attended Rockland High School and left in her senior year to take care of her ailing mother. She eventually earned her GED. Priscilla worked at JJ Newberry during her high school years.

Priscilla met her future husband, Bernard Bishop, after he returned from World War II. Her best friend introduced them and she and Bernard were married January 10, 1947 in Rockland by the Reverend McDonald.

For the first few months of their married life, they ran a farm in Bucksport for Mr. Terrill of Bangor. They then moved to Island Falls where they resided until Mr. Bishop was recalled into the Air Force in 1949. They spent the next 26 years in the service. Being a service family, they traveled often and were stationed in several different states and did a tour in the Philippine Islands during the early 1950s. After retirement they lived in Bangor for roughly two years before settling in Thomaston.

Priscilla was a licensed beautician and worked at her profession while following her husband’s military career.

After moving to Thomaston she worked for Sears Roebuck & Co. for about 5 years and for JC Penney for 14 years, retiring from JC Penney around 2000. Priscilla was a member of Grace Chapter #93, Order of the Eastern Star where she held several offices including Worthy Matron eight times. She was also a member of the Second Congregational Church of Warren where she taught Sunday School.

Predeceased by her husband; her parents; her in-laws, Peter and Annie Bishop; a brother-in-law, Alfred Starr; and a niece, Maria Heckle; Priscilla is survived by her son, Peter Bishop and his partner Jaime Fish Connell of Warren; a daughter, Cheryl Steeves and her husband Richard of Warren; a sister, Carole Starr of Warren; three grandchildren, Bernard Bishop and his wife Ana of Warren, Rebecca Steeves of Bucksport, Kevin Steeves of Portland; a niece, Renee Van Leuvan and her husband Nick of Manchester, New Hampshire.; as well as nephews, David Starr and his wife Lisa of Warren and Kenneth “Skip” Starr and finance Tonya Madden of Union.

A celebration of Priscilla’s life will be held Monday, April 4, 2022, at 11 a.m., at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland. Interment will follow at 2 p.m., at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Civic Center Drive, Augusta. Although flowers are gratefully accepted, donations may be made in Priscilla’s memory to either the American Cancer Society, New England Division, 1 Bowdoin Mill Island, Suite 300, Topsham, ME 04086 or the American Heart Foundation, 51 US Route One, Suite M, Scarborough, ME 04074.

To share a memory or condolence with the Bishop family, please visit their Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com.