Harry Eugene Bishton died May 1, 2011 at Lutheran Hospital at 90 years of age. Born on May 21, 1920, he is survived by his beloved wife Milli, four children Mark, Daniel, David, and Emily, five grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sister Laverne. His passing was unexpected, but Harry's example was to move forward and dwell on the grace of God rather than the misfortune that life (and death) may bring.
Harry was born to hard working immigrant parents, Harry and Emily (Fleischer) Bishton in Pocatello, Idaho. He grew up in the Blue Island neighborhood of south Chicago, where he attended Fenger High School. Always industrious, he began earning a living as a paperboy at age 10.
He was drafted into the Army in 1941 where his natural affinity for work, orderliness, and spit-and-polish won him an appointment to officer's school. He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in the South Pacific where he worked with radar and reached the rank of captain as the Second World War ended. We learned later he helped track the Enola Gay on her mission to Hiroshima in 1944.
He met his queen, Milli, after the war, when he attended engineering classes on the GI Bill at Valparaiso University and Illinois Institute of Technology. He completed a bachelor's degree in engineering, found work at GE, and shortly thereafter at International Harvester Company. There he quietly became chief metallurgical engineer. His employer sent him around the world to be helpful, hard working, and effective in analyzing and solving problems
Harry's Christian faith bloomed under Milli's tender tutelage and loving example. Together they had a heart for joining small mission churches, including Mount Calvary Lutheran in Chicago, Shepherd of the City Lutheran in Fort Wayne and most recently Promise Ministries in Fort Wayne. He was an elder, deacon (or both), and taught Bible classes for all ages. He was particularly effective with evangelism and building projects. While he never sang in a choir, he learned to enthusiastically praise God in song. As he grew older he enjoyed singing duets over the telephone with daughter Emily of his favorite 1940's love songs. He loved Cole Porter and Nat King Cole, and especially the bridge in Old Man River "Tote that barge, lift that bail..."
After 35 years of vocation, Harry retired and found his true calling as a lay pastor in the Prison Fellowship ministry. He often said that he learned more about himself, talking with men about their struggles and failures, than in all the years he had spent as an engineer. His tireless devotion to this new avocation led to his nomination and receiving of the national Jefferson Award for volunteer service in 2004, matching Milli's award four years earlier. Long after his strength began to fade, he still helped one of his inmate charges carry a couch up three flights of stairs.
He was a man for all seasons. He actively supported civil and voting rights in 1964. He believed in individual accountability, while knowing that the world would be a lot better by people simply bearing each other's burdens. He was a fiscal conservative who gave generously to church and multiple charities, as well as to individuals whose misfortune touched his heart. More than a few of his ex-con clients called Harry's house their home while he was active in Prison Fellowship. The most important things in his life were his faith and family. He and Milli welcomed into their home and cared for his parents until they both passed away peacefully there. Harry loved to read and quote scripture, and to spread the Good News. He accepted others as his own faith grew. He cried on Good Fridays, and was full of joy at each Easter and Christmas. He loved the Lord with all his big heart could bear until he couldn't wait any longer to be with Him. Harry will be deeply missed by all.
Memorial gifts may be made to Hope Alive, Inc. 1747 N. Wells Street, Ft. Wayne, IN or to Promise Ministries www.promiseministries.org.
Services are 1:00 p.m. Friday, May 6, 2011 at Promise Ministries 7323 Schwartz Rd. Ft. Wayne, IN with calling one hour prior to service. There is also calling Thursday, May 5, 2011 from 2-4 6-8 p.m. at Covington Memorial Funeral Home 8408 Covington Rd. Burial will be in Covington Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Harry was born to hard working immigrant parents, Harry and Emily (Fleischer) Bishton in Pocatello, Idaho. He grew up in the Blue Island neighborhood of south Chicago, where he attended Fenger High School. Always industrious, he began earning a living as a paperboy at age 10.
He was drafted into the Army in 1941 where his natural affinity for work, orderliness, and spit-and-polish won him an appointment to officer's school. He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in the South Pacific where he worked with radar and reached the rank of captain as the Second World War ended. We learned later he helped track the Enola Gay on her mission to Hiroshima in 1944.
He met his queen, Milli, after the war, when he attended engineering classes on the GI Bill at Valparaiso University and Illinois Institute of Technology. He completed a bachelor's degree in engineering, found work at GE, and shortly thereafter at International Harvester Company. There he quietly became chief metallurgical engineer. His employer sent him around the world to be helpful, hard working, and effective in analyzing and solving problems
Harry's Christian faith bloomed under Milli's tender tutelage and loving example. Together they had a heart for joining small mission churches, including Mount Calvary Lutheran in Chicago, Shepherd of the City Lutheran in Fort Wayne and most recently Promise Ministries in Fort Wayne. He was an elder, deacon (or both), and taught Bible classes for all ages. He was particularly effective with evangelism and building projects. While he never sang in a choir, he learned to enthusiastically praise God in song. As he grew older he enjoyed singing duets over the telephone with daughter Emily of his favorite 1940's love songs. He loved Cole Porter and Nat King Cole, and especially the bridge in Old Man River "Tote that barge, lift that bail..."
After 35 years of vocation, Harry retired and found his true calling as a lay pastor in the Prison Fellowship ministry. He often said that he learned more about himself, talking with men about their struggles and failures, than in all the years he had spent as an engineer. His tireless devotion to this new avocation led to his nomination and receiving of the national Jefferson Award for volunteer service in 2004, matching Milli's award four years earlier. Long after his strength began to fade, he still helped one of his inmate charges carry a couch up three flights of stairs.
He was a man for all seasons. He actively supported civil and voting rights in 1964. He believed in individual accountability, while knowing that the world would be a lot better by people simply bearing each other's burdens. He was a fiscal conservative who gave generously to church and multiple charities, as well as to individuals whose misfortune touched his heart. More than a few of his ex-con clients called Harry's house their home while he was active in Prison Fellowship. The most important things in his life were his faith and family. He and Milli welcomed into their home and cared for his parents until they both passed away peacefully there. Harry loved to read and quote scripture, and to spread the Good News. He accepted others as his own faith grew. He cried on Good Fridays, and was full of joy at each Easter and Christmas. He loved the Lord with all his big heart could bear until he couldn't wait any longer to be with Him. Harry will be deeply missed by all.
Memorial gifts may be made to Hope Alive, Inc. 1747 N. Wells Street, Ft. Wayne, IN or to Promise Ministries www.promiseministries.org.
Services are 1:00 p.m. Friday, May 6, 2011 at Promise Ministries 7323 Schwartz Rd. Ft. Wayne, IN with calling one hour prior to service. There is also calling Thursday, May 5, 2011 from 2-4 6-8 p.m. at Covington Memorial Funeral Home 8408 Covington Rd. Burial will be in Covington Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Harry Eugene Bishton died May 1, 2011 at Lutheran Hospital at 90 years of age. Born on May 21, 1920, he is survived by his beloved wife Milli, four children Mark, Daniel, David, and Emily, five grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sister Laverne. His passing was unexpected, but Harry's example was to move forward and dwell on the grace of God rather than the misfortune that life (and death) may bring.
Harry was born to hard working immigrant parents, Harry and Emily (Fleischer) Bishton in Pocatello, Idaho. He grew up in the Blue Island neighborhood of south Chicago, where he attended Fenger High School. Always industrious, he began earning a living as a paperboy at age 10.
He was drafted into the Army in 1941 where his natural affinity for work, orderliness, and spit-and-polish won him an appointment to officer's school. He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in the South Pacific where he worked with radar and reached the rank of captain as the Second World War ended. We learned later he helped track the Enola Gay on her mission to Hiroshima in 1944.
He met his queen, Milli, after the war, when he attended engineering classes on the GI Bill at Valparaiso University and Illinois Institute of Technology. He completed a bachelor's degree in engineering, found work at GE, and shortly thereafter at International Harvester Company. There he quietly became chief metallurgical engineer. His employer sent him around the world to be helpful, hard working, and effective in analyzing and solving problems
Harry's Christian faith bloomed under Milli's tender tutelage and loving example. Together they had a heart for joining small mission churches, including Mount Calvary Lutheran in Chicago, Shepherd of the City Lutheran in Fort Wayne and most recently Promise Ministries in Fort Wayne. He was an elder, deacon (or both), and taught Bible classes for all ages. He was particularly effective with evangelism and building projects. While he never sang in a choir, he learned to enthusiastically praise God in song. As he grew older he enjoyed singing duets over the telephone with daughter Emily of his favorite 1940's love songs. He loved Cole Porter and Nat King Cole, and especially the bridge in Old Man River "Tote that barge, lift that bail..."
After 35 years of vocation, Harry retired and found his true calling as a lay pastor in the Prison Fellowship ministry. He often said that he learned more about himself, talking with men about their struggles and failures, than in all the years he had spent as an engineer. His tireless devotion to this new avocation led to his nomination and receiving of the national Jefferson Award for volunteer service in 2004, matching Milli's award four years earlier. Long after his strength began to fade, he still helped one of his inmate charges carry a couch up three flights of stairs.
He was a man for all seasons. He actively supported civil and voting rights in 1964. He believed in individual accountability, while knowing that the world would be a lot better by people simply bearing each other's burdens. He was a fiscal conservative who gave generously to church and multiple charities, as well as to individuals whose misfortune touched his heart. More than a few of his ex-con clients called Harry's house their home while he was active in Prison Fellowship. The most important things in his life were his faith and family. He and Milli welcomed into their home and cared for his parents until they both passed away peacefully there. Harry loved to read and quote scripture, and to spread the Good News. He accepted others as his own faith grew. He cried on Good Fridays, and was full of joy at each Easter and Christmas. He loved the Lord with all his big heart could bear until he couldn't wait any longer to be with Him. Harry will be deeply missed by all.
Memorial gifts may be made to Hope Alive, Inc. 1747 N. Wells Street, Ft. Wayne, IN or to Promise Ministries www.promiseministries.org.
Services are 1:00 p.m. Friday, May 6, 2011 at Promise Ministries 7323 Schwartz Rd. Ft. Wayne, IN with calling one hour prior to service. There is also calling Thursday, May 5, 2011 from 2-4 6-8 p.m. at Covington Memorial Funeral Home 8408 Covington Rd. Burial will be in Covington Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Harry was born to hard working immigrant parents, Harry and Emily (Fleischer) Bishton in Pocatello, Idaho. He grew up in the Blue Island neighborhood of south Chicago, where he attended Fenger High School. Always industrious, he began earning a living as a paperboy at age 10.
He was drafted into the Army in 1941 where his natural affinity for work, orderliness, and spit-and-polish won him an appointment to officer's school. He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in the South Pacific where he worked with radar and reached the rank of captain as the Second World War ended. We learned later he helped track the Enola Gay on her mission to Hiroshima in 1944.
He met his queen, Milli, after the war, when he attended engineering classes on the GI Bill at Valparaiso University and Illinois Institute of Technology. He completed a bachelor's degree in engineering, found work at GE, and shortly thereafter at International Harvester Company. There he quietly became chief metallurgical engineer. His employer sent him around the world to be helpful, hard working, and effective in analyzing and solving problems
Harry's Christian faith bloomed under Milli's tender tutelage and loving example. Together they had a heart for joining small mission churches, including Mount Calvary Lutheran in Chicago, Shepherd of the City Lutheran in Fort Wayne and most recently Promise Ministries in Fort Wayne. He was an elder, deacon (or both), and taught Bible classes for all ages. He was particularly effective with evangelism and building projects. While he never sang in a choir, he learned to enthusiastically praise God in song. As he grew older he enjoyed singing duets over the telephone with daughter Emily of his favorite 1940's love songs. He loved Cole Porter and Nat King Cole, and especially the bridge in Old Man River "Tote that barge, lift that bail..."
After 35 years of vocation, Harry retired and found his true calling as a lay pastor in the Prison Fellowship ministry. He often said that he learned more about himself, talking with men about their struggles and failures, than in all the years he had spent as an engineer. His tireless devotion to this new avocation led to his nomination and receiving of the national Jefferson Award for volunteer service in 2004, matching Milli's award four years earlier. Long after his strength began to fade, he still helped one of his inmate charges carry a couch up three flights of stairs.
He was a man for all seasons. He actively supported civil and voting rights in 1964. He believed in individual accountability, while knowing that the world would be a lot better by people simply bearing each other's burdens. He was a fiscal conservative who gave generously to church and multiple charities, as well as to individuals whose misfortune touched his heart. More than a few of his ex-con clients called Harry's house their home while he was active in Prison Fellowship. The most important things in his life were his faith and family. He and Milli welcomed into their home and cared for his parents until they both passed away peacefully there. Harry loved to read and quote scripture, and to spread the Good News. He accepted others as his own faith grew. He cried on Good Fridays, and was full of joy at each Easter and Christmas. He loved the Lord with all his big heart could bear until he couldn't wait any longer to be with Him. Harry will be deeply missed by all.
Memorial gifts may be made to Hope Alive, Inc. 1747 N. Wells Street, Ft. Wayne, IN or to Promise Ministries www.promiseministries.org.
Services are 1:00 p.m. Friday, May 6, 2011 at Promise Ministries 7323 Schwartz Rd. Ft. Wayne, IN with calling one hour prior to service. There is also calling Thursday, May 5, 2011 from 2-4 6-8 p.m. at Covington Memorial Funeral Home 8408 Covington Rd. Burial will be in Covington Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
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