Lasting Memories
Judith Bishop
May 21, 1933-Nov. 21, 2011
Palo Alto, California
Judith Bishop, poet/Renaissance woman, died Nov. 21, 2011, in Auberry, Calif. She was born May 21, 1933, in Greenwich, Conn., to Joan Stanford Bishop and Nathaniel Bishop (brother David). She graduated from Columbia University in 1959 with a bachelor's degree in poetry. She was the first winner of the American Academy of Poets grand prize.
Married to Ronald Roseman in 1957 (divorced) and to Dick Sewell in 1964 (divorced). She founded Rustam Publishers in New York (first to publish hardcover books of young New York poets) and worked at L Harper and Row as a book designer. In Maine she studied then taught violin playing in both the Portland and Banger symphonies and led several chamber orchestras.
In the mid 1970s she relocated to Palo Alto, Calif., and worked for 16 years at Xerox PARC. She studied and became a master herbalist, gardener and an accomplished photographer. She studied Native-American culture and ceremonial life, was involved in the Palo Alto Friends House, in political activities and landscaping. She published one book of poetry, had poems published in esteemed poetry journals and leaves a legacy of more than 20 volumes of poetry manuscripts.
She is survived by a daughter, Gabrielle Roseman; and partner, Urion Heath.
Sept. 28, 2013
Judith was a steadfast person of integrity and compassion; she was a wonderful and beautiful soul who made a difference in my life and that of my family. It's almost two years now that she's gone to the spirit world and I find myself thinking of how she used to share her stories, read her poetry, and probably most importantly, how she prayed before we would sit down before a meal, humbling herself to the Creator and to the Universe. I truely miss my dear friend and all that she stood for.
Jan. 22, 2012
Judith's faith, or one could call it her deep moral outlook on the world, was ever-present in her poetry. She was always striving for clearer and more convincing inditements of oppression and materialism, and she studied, ennobled, and committed herself to Native American life, and herbalism, as a way of seeking alternatives. She also studied Welsh language and culture - I think as a way to find roots for herself outside the decadence she saw in contemporary white society. And to her great credit, she avoided letting her didacticism cloud her view of other's poetry. She was always supportive of other poet's true efforts, even when they were working far outside any similar moral concerns.
Jan. 1, 2012
Judith attended Palo Alto Friends Meeting for many years and introduced me to Quakerism. There will be a memorial service for her on January 21, 2012 at 2:00pm at Friends Meeting, 957 Colorado Ave, Palo Alto, Ca. All are welcome. Please email rseverns@stanfordalumni.org for further information.