Ila Jo (Wallace) Bishop

Ila Jo (Wallace) Bishop

April 24, 1937 – June 16, 2024

 

Ila Jo Bishop relocated to her heavenly home cradled in the arms of her daughter on June 16^th, 2024. When sharing her story with others, she often began with “Only God knew this red-headed girl born in a 3-bedroom house up the lane from her grandparents would leave Hartselle, AL and see the world!”

 

Ila Jo was known for her warm hugs, huge smile, and as a woman of prayer. Her life of adventures was experienced on the solid foundation of her faith and relationship with Jesus Christ that began at age 9. She was curious all through life and did not want to miss anything. Raised on a working farm, with loving parents and two siblings, she learned farming and barnyard skills, discipline, compassion, integrity, cooking, a strong work ethic, and commitment. Her music skill began developing at age 6 when she helped her Daddy in his Singing School, directing the choir. Her musical ability came naturally as part of a long line of Wallace musicians.

 

After high school, Ila Jo entered Howard College/Samford University (with her soon to be husband). She would marry her sweetheart, Jim, sing in the Acapella Choir, give birth to her first child, and graduate with a B.A in Music and Christian Education. When she answered God’s call on her life to missions at age 16, she did not know how God would use her.

 

God used Ila Jo to live out her faith as she demonstrated God’s faithfulness, love, and mercy regardless of life’s circumstances. She served as a Pastor’s wife, Army Chaplain’s wife, Minister of Music and Education at churches and Army chapels in Texas, Alabama, New York, Tennessee, Maryland, Georgia, and Germany. Part of her adventure involved moving 29 times and traveling to 47 states and 12 countries. Her call to missions involved volunteering on mission teams in Chicago, IL; Phoenix, AZ; Circle and Jordan, MT; Alaska; Hawaii; Bend, OR; San Franciso, CA; Philadelphia, PA; NYC (one month after 9/11) and Russia. Along the adventure, she taught conferences, Sunday School classes, retreats, Bible studies, voice, and piano lessons.

 

Ila Jo was a trailblazer. In Germany, she led the music at the annual Baptist Association meeting. In Maryland, she was asked to coordinate and lead a 200-voice choir comprised of ministers of music across the state while being told it could not be done! With God’s help, she did it! When she entered real estate, she was told she would not pass the agent license test on the first try. With God’s help, she did and would become the top selling agent in her office within two years. She believed her 20 plus years in real estate was a new mission field. Her answering the call to missions continued after her second retirement as God used her and husband Jim to restart a church plant, First Baptist Church Tellico Village in Tennessee. She would become the church’s first Minister of Music and Education. After her third retirement, God called her again as she was asked to begin a senior adult choir at First Baptist Church Duluth, GA.

 

As Jo lived her life of obedience to God’s call on her life, she believed “nothing is impossible with God!” That obedience and faith in God was evident as she lived with dementia for 16 years. God consistently provided caregivers at “just the right time” to be part of the care team as the disease progressed. Each caregiver loved on Ila Jo, and she was fondly called “Queen Ila Jo!”

 

Second only to Jo’s faith was family. The greatest distinction that she loved was that of wife, Mother, Mom, Grandmommy, Mawmaw and Aunt. She deeply treasured family time. Ila Jo is survived by daughter, Reita Jane Bishop, son John David Bishop and wife Patrice, daughter-n-law Debby Reynolds-Bishop (wife of deceased son James L. Bishop); Grandchildren James (Jimmy) L. Bishop II, Jennifer Bishop Johnson and husband Jeff, and step-granddaughter Leah Winebrenner; Great-grandchildren Michael James, Justice Kane, Aaliyah Marie, Jaymes Lyric and step Great-grandchildren Clayton and Dalton; Great-great grandchildren Luna Celine-Grace and Zyaire Mateo Jax; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

 

Ila Jo’s life will be celebrated on July 1, 2:00 pm at Flanigan Funeral Home, 4400 S. Lee St., Buford, GA 30518. The family will be available beginning at 1:00 pm. Her final earthly resting place will be in Alabama.

 

In lieu of flowers, consider honoring Ila Jo Bishop with a contribution to the Music Ministry at Ivy Creek Baptist Church, PO Box 2344, Buford, GA 30515 or your local missions/ministry.

 

To express condolences, please sign our online guest book at www.flaniganfuneralhome.com. Arrangements By: Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford, GA (770) 932-1133.