Archie C. Bishop

Archie Clifford Bishop, age 92, passed away on Saturday, October 8th in Missoula, just 19 days shy of his 93rd birthday.

Services will take place at Pondera Valley Lutheran Church in Conrad on Friday, October 14th at 11am. Burial in the Bishop family plot at Hillside Cemetery will precede the memorial service.

Archie was born on October, 27, 1923 at his uncle's homestead 7 miles southeast of Conrad. He was the sixth of ten children born to James and Lillian Bishop, who homesteaded in the east community area in 1916.

Archie attended Conrad High School and graduated in 1941. When World War II broke out, his brothers Argyle and Ralph entered the military, but Archie stayed home to help his dad with the farming. In November, 1944, Archie was drafted and reported for duty in the U.S. Army. He served one year and two days, stateside in California and Washington state, and attained the rank of corporal.

Upon his discharge in 1945, Archie returned home to the family farm. In 1946, he entered Montana State College, majoring in Agricultural Education. His brother, Argyle, brought a young Havre girl named Doris Hellebust to visit the farm, and Doris had her younger sister Ruth in tow. Doris and A.U. married in 1947, and in June 1949, Archie and Ruth followed them to the altar.

Archie graduated from MSC in 1950 and joined the Soil Conservation Service in Great Falls. He and Ruth moved to Chester in 1952, and in 1957, to Conrad. There, he spent the remainder of his career, finding joy in the fields and on the farms of his home county, leaving a legacy of kindness and conservation that is still fondly recalled. Archie took particular pride in his land leveling skills, where his relentless pursuit of perfection found a suitable outlet.

He retired in 1979 and soon took a job as the editor of a new agricultural newspaper, The Prairie Star. Again, Archie found happiness mingling with farmers and ranchers, writing articles, taking pictures, and driving around his beloved home state. He retired from the Prairie Star in 2004.

Archie was very active in Pondera Valley Lutheran Church. He served as the church treasurer for many years, sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, and worked at the Lutefisk supper. In his spare time, he spent countless hours with perfatape or hammer in hand working on the church addition.

Archie and Ruth did all they could to put their love for their fellow man into action. They helped PVLC resettle refugee families from Laos and Cambodia in Conrad. They were partners in launching the Pondera Food Pantry, supported the Great Falls Rescue Mission, and were active in Democratic Party circles, working to promote policies to fight hunger, poverty, and intolerance of all types.

Archie also loved Montana as only a native son could. While he was raised on the prairie, he reveled in the glories of Glacier Park, and a drive on Going-To-The-Sun Road dazzled him to the very end.

Ruth and Archie celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in June 2009, but Ruth died of cancer just five months later. After her death, Archie lived for 3 1/2 years at the Horizon Lodge in Conrad, then spent his final 3 1/2 years at Grizzly Peak in Missoula. Archie's family wishes to thank everyone who watched out for him and visited with him during his time at these residences.

Archie is survived by daughter, Tolly, and husband, Merv Eriksson, of Missoula; son, Kim, and wife, Cindy, of Spokane; daughter, Brooke, and husband, Jim Donovan, of Havre; son, Shane, and wife, Anna, of Medford, Oregon; and one brother, Jim, of Miles City.  He leaves behind 12 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

The family suggests memorials to the Pondera Food Pantry, the Montana Talking Book Library (P.O. Box  201800 Helena, MT 59620-1800), or a charity of your choice.