Friends mourn loss of Virginia Tech professor

<p>Christopher "Jamie" Bishop was gentle and creative, often collaborating with his father, an author, on novels and short stories.</p><p>Bishop, 35, designed the cover for at least one of the books his father, Michael Bishop, wrote, family friends said.</p><p>Mourners gathered Tuesday at LaGrange College where the elder Bishop teaches creative writing and is writer-in-residence to remember Jamie Bishop, one of 33 people killed at Virginia Tech on Monday in the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history.</p><p>Bishop, who had taught German at Virginia Tech for two years, was in the middle of a class when the gunman entered the classroom and opened fire, killing the instructor.</p><p>"He was a talented artist," said Nina Dulin-Mallory, a co-worker of Michael Bishop. "(The Bishops) talked of their children so often _ how creative, how bright."</p><p>Michael Bishop, an award-winning science fiction writer, and his wife, Jerri, left their home in nearby Pine Mountain on Monday when they heard their son might have been injured in the shooting. While en route, they received a call from their daughter-in-law, Stefanie Hofer, that Bishop had died, said Brenda Thomas, who also works with Michael Bishop.</p><p>"He said their worst fears had been confirmed," said Thomas, who talked with Michael Bishop by telephone shortly after he received the news.</p><p>The small chapel at the 1,000-student United Methodist college was packed with students, faculty, staff and community members on Tuesday evening. Dozens who could not fit in the chapel sat in chairs outside, listening to the prayers and hymns.</p><p>"We felt we need to come together in a ritual place as an expression of solidarity with Mike and Jerri," LaGrange College President Stuart Gulley said after the hour-long service.</p><p>Another memorial service later filled the sancturary at First United Methodist Church of Pine Mountain but was closed to the media.</p><p>Joy Roberson, who grew up with Bishop, described him as a brilliant person. "You always knew when we were growing up he would become somebody," she said. "I will never forget Jamie."</p><p>Bishop was described in news reports as a gentle, outgoing person who rode his bicycle to campus. He wore his hair long and loved the Atlanta Braves, friends said.</p><p>He received both his bachelor's and master's from the University of Georgia.</p><p>Another Georgian, Ryan "Stack" Clark of Martinez also was killed in the rampage. The 22-year-old was a resident adviser on the fourth floor of the West Ambler Johnston dormitory, where the shooting spree began at 7:15 a.m. Monday, Clark's brother, Bryan Clark, told the Augusta Chronicle. A memorial service is planned in his honor for Saturday at Lakeside High School, which he had attended.</p><p>Bryan Clark said his brother would have graduated in May with a triple major in psychology, biology and English. He was in his fifth year in the Marching Virginians band at Virginia Tech.</p>

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