Reba Joan (Poole) Bishop, 83, of Athens, Alabama, passed away on September 23, 2025 after
a long illness. Her final moments were spent peacefully at home with Bill, her devoted husband
of 62 years, praying by her side.
Joan was devoted to her family, and she taught her children and grandchildren to love Jesus
and each other. Her children called her Mama, Ma, and Mom. Her grandchildren called her
Grandma Joan, and her great-grandchildren called her Grammy. They will miss her terribly but
are comforted knowing that she is rejoicing in heaven and no longer in pain.
Joan was born in Athens, Alabama to Alpheus David and Ruby Dale (Chapman) Poole. She
was the third of their five children. When she was 11, her family moved north. Joan graduated
from LaGrange High School in Indiana in 1960. She then moved to Michigan where she worked
her way through cosmetology school before eventually partnering with friends to open and
operate a beauty shop. In 1963, she met and married Bill Bishop, the love of her life, and they
went on to have three children. In 1975, Bill & Joan moved the family to Athens, where they
settled permanently. Once her children were grown, Joan worked for several years as a
rehabilitation trainer at the Birdie Thornton Center. After retiring, she enjoyed a busy and
fulfilling life as a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. For the past 36 years, Joan
has been a faithful member of Beacon Baptist Church in Rogersville where her husband, Bill,
serves as pastor.
Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Alpheus and Ruby Poole; sister, Joy Pratt; brother,
Paul Poole; and brother, Harvey Poole.
She is survived by her husband, William “Bill” Bishop; brother, Michael Poole (Marie); son,
Shawn Bishop (Stacy); daughter, Darian Cox (Jerry); son, Aaron Bishop (Margie);
grandchildren, Elizabeth Russell (Daniel); Hannah Nguyen (Tony), Seth Cox (Chelsy), Ethan
Shutt, Lauren Bishop, Anna Livingston (Daniel), Katarina Bishop (Joe), Kristian Bishop (Kaitlyn),
Joel Cox (Ashlee), and Sydney Wooldridge (Jesse); great-grandchildren, Isaac, Michael, Vera,
Liam, Mason, Van, Malachi, Andrew, Callahan, Ivy, Nova, Charlie, and Xander; and a host of
nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and cousins.
Visitation for friends will be held Saturday, September 27, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Rogersville Funeral
Home in Rogersville, Alabama, with funeral services following at 2 p.m. Burial will take place at
Rogersville Funeral Home Cemetery. Pastor William Bishop will officiate, and Seth Cox, Joel
Cox, Kristian Bishop, Daniel Russell, Daniel Livingston, and Tony Nguyen will serve as
pallbearers.
