Biography:

William E. “Bill” Bishop, 77, passed away peacefully on May 13, 2026 due to complications from Parkinson’s and dementia.  Born on September 18, 1948 in Cincinnati, Ohio, he lived, what he called, a “Leave it to Beaver” life in the suburb of Deer Park, Ohio, calling his parents absolute angels.
           
Bill was a star athlete from the beginning. He began playing Knot Hole league baseball at age six and soon became an accomplished pitcher.  While in high school, he pitched two “no-hitter” games, all the while playing quarterback on the football team and basketball.  During those high school years, he consistently pitched in the summer leagues, making it to the “Nationals” in two of those years.  In this period of time, he pitched three more “no-hitters” and two “perfect games!”  He continued his baseball journey receiving full scholarships to pitch from the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Florida State Seminoles.  Having chosen the UofA, he moved to a place he had never heard of, Fayetteville, and stayed in Arkansas for the next 60 years.
           
He married a West Memphis girl, Nancy Lanford, attended Vanderbilt University law school, and they moved to New York where he obtained his LL.M from NYU.  After practicing law in Nashville for a couple years, they came home to Arkansas where he went to work for the Rose Law Firm and was known to “have the best technical mind of any attorney” in the firm.  Over time he practiced at several other firms, retired in 2021, and was recently honored for 50 years of service by the Arkansas Bar Association.
           
Bill worked with Nancy raising two children, Lauren and Michael, who loved every moment with him whether at the lake, hiking Pinnacle, touring Disney World, or just eating donuts.  “Pop” always made them laugh.  He worked extremely hard to put them through college, Northwestern and Rice, respectively, for which they are both eternally grateful.
           
In 2002, Bill married Linda Howell Butler and they bought a weekend home on Eden Isle, Greers Ferry Lake.  They spent countless hours cooking together (yes, she taught him to cook), entertaining, boating, traveling and loving life.  He played golf as often as he could, and generally by himself because he didn’t want to play with anyone if he couldn’t play extremely well!  They toasted countless sunsets with glasses of champagne and became best friends with their neighbors.  Bill said he wasn’t “a dog person” but when a very large dog followed Linda home one day at the lake, he ended up becoming Bill’s other best friend.  He will always be remembered as one of the kindest people you could know, sometimes soft spoken, having a truly brilliant mind, being a dear friend, a devoted husband, and a wonderful father.
           
He was predeceased by his parents, Ernest and Barbara Bishop, and his brother, Jim Bishop.  He is survived by his wife of 24 years, Linda, daughter Lauren Bishop, son Dr. Michael Bishop (Natalie), step-daughter Marian Koehler, two incredible grandchildren Emerson and Owen Bishop, sister-in-law Joni Bishop, and brother Dan Bishop (Joni, too), his former wife Nancy Keyes, as well as many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.
           
A visitation will be held at Ruebel Funeral Home, Thursday, June 11, from 4-6 PM.  A Celebration of Life memorial service will be Saturday, June 13, at St. Francis Episcopal Church, Heber Springs, at 11 AM.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Potluck Food Rescue, 621 W. Broadway, North Little Rock, AR 72114, or charity of your choice.  Arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home, RuebelFuneralHome.com