Herman Robert BISHOP

APRIL 28, 1946 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2020

Herman Robert Bishop, age 74, passed away September 12, 2020 in Greenville, SC. Robert was an active member of the local Trout Unlimited and Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing organizations. He was a United States Navy Veteran, serving during the Vietnam War aboard the USS Pocono as an engineer. Preceded in death by his parents Otas Sr. and Betty Bishop; brothers Otas Bishop Jr. and Jerry Bishop Sr. Survived by wife of 48 years Sandra (Bacus) Bishop; daughter Jennifer (Ryan) Everitt of Fernandina Beach, FL; brother Philip Bishop of Sanford, FL; sisters-in-law Nancy (Casa) Bishop of Longwood, FL and Susan (Lee) Bishop of Orlando, FL; brother-in-law Donavan (Rhonda) Bacus of Dublin, OH; sister-in-law Carolyn (Michael) Bogunia of Charlotte, NC; many beloved nieces and nephews. Memorial donations can be made to Veteran’s Services Project Healing Waters, 508 Spaulding Lake Dr. Greenville, SC 29615.

From Mike Harvell:

I first met Bob when he purchased a house and moved in across the street from Jim Hopkins. Jim and I had been fishing together for a number of years and had worked for the same company and Bob was a welcome addition to our outings. Bob told me several times that he enjoyed being with us and sharing the stories we would relate as the truth. After Jim passed, Bob and I continued fishing and doing MBTU Projects together. 

Bob was always on the lookout for someone that might need some fishing supplies like rods, reels, flies and assistance. He has given away more rods than a casual fly fisherman purchases in a lifetime. On our last fishing trip he was on the bank watching me work a run while resting his back. I came out of the water and saw a fly patch with several flies attached to a riverside tree. I asked Bob if he found the patch and posted it for the owner to find; he responded that he had lost a fly off the patch and he wanted to donate it to some lucky person that could use the flies and patch. We walked up the trail laughing.

Bob's favorite place to fish was Hellhole and he always did very good on this stretch of water even though it is fished heavily and has easy access for wading. I am very happy to know that I took him to this spot last week and he had several fish on dry. The purple iris have passed bloom with the Browneye Susie and Joepie waiting for the Monarchs. 

From Chuck Rouse:

I met Bob through MBTU meetings and events. When we became involved with Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Bob immediately stepped up to work with disabled vets. We taught fly casting in the parking lot under flood lights at the old Luthi's fly and pawn shop. Bob loved working with the vets and teaching them fly tying, rod building and fishing etiquette, both class room and on the water. He always managed to a handful of flies he tied to hand out. And rods, he probably gave away more fly rods then most fly fishers go through in a lifetime. He was the most generous person I have known. The joy it gave him to hand a rod to someone and say "Do you want this?  It's yours." 

I last talked to Bob this past Friday (the day of his stroke), we were planning a fly fishing day this week at -- you guessed it, the Hell Hole. Our conversation ended when one of our vets showed up at Bob's to work on her rod she was building and to work on Bob for a slice of his pecan pie, of which he is famous for. No overnight outing was complete without Bob's pies. 

He will be missed, the stories he told, his friendship, and the joy he brought to others.  God bless you Bob.