Virginia Lee Bish

Virginia Lee (Lewis) Bish, 89, Grace Village Retirement Community, Winona Lake, died at 5:20 a.m. Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, at Grace Village Health Care, Winona Lake.

She was born July 31, 1933, in Greensburg, Kan., to Lillian Mae (Magnuson) Lewis and Albert Lewis. Virginia grew up in Kansas and graduated from Castleton High School in Castleton, Kan. After high school, she married the love of her life, Kenneth “Ken” Wilson Bish, on Aug. 17, 1952. They were blessed with four children and became grandparents and great-grandparents multiple times during the 67 years of marriage they shared before Ken died on July 13, 2020.

In 1953, she moved to South Bend, where she raised her family. Virginia and Ken purchased a motor home and spent their retirement years traveling the 48 continuous states, parts of Canada and Mexico. They settled in Branson, Mo., for 13 years prior to moving to Winona Lake in 2013.

Virginia loved the lord and attended Christ’s Covenant Church in Winona Lake. She had a beautiful voice and loved singing “hymns.” She was a wonderful mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who will be loved and missed.

She will be lovingly remembered by her son, Tony (Catherine) Bish, Rohnert, Calif.; three daughters, Diana (Gary) Grossnickle, Winona Lake, Pam Salmon, Houston, Texas and Kim Hathaway, Mishawaka. Also surviving are seven grandchildren, Shawna, Adam, Justin, Jeremy, Nick, Kari and Erazmus; 10 great-grandchildren, Cathern, Bailey, Aeril, Alec, Aidan, Caden, Owen, Rylen, Addison and Jack, her sister, Sonja (Jim) Hays, Hutchinson, Kan.; brother-in-law, James (Diana) Leri, Arizona; and two sisters-in-law, Gay Lewis, Pretty Prairie, Kan. and Anna Bish, Freeport, Pa. She was preceded in death by her parents, and husband.

Virginia’s life will be celebrated with a service at noon Monday, Dec. 12, 2022, at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home and officiated by Pastor Rod Valentine. Friends and family may visit prior to the service from 10 a.m. to noon. Burial will follow with a family graveside service at Highland Cemetery, South Bend.

Memorial donations may be directed to Grace Village Retirement Community, 337 Grace Village Drive, Winona Lake, IN 46590; or to Christ’s Covenant Church, 2090 E. Pierceton Road, Winona Lake, IN 46590 and would be appreciated by the family.