Bertha Mae Bishop, age 66 of Winter, WI died Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at her home with her family by her side.

Bertha was born on November 5, 1947, in Alton, IL, the daughter of Wilbur Carl and Anna Louise (Hyman) Allen. She married the love of her life, Cecil Bishop, on February 13, 1965, in Alton, IL. They later moved to Winter, WI where they took over the Bishop Farm in the Thornapple district and reside there until current day. They ran and raised their two daughters, Michelle and Ida on the operating farm for 33 years. Bertha also worked outside the farm in the restaurant industry. She started her cooking career at The Chippewa Pines in Ojibwa, WI, and this is where she developed a passion for cooking. She continued her cooking career at The Northwood on Conners Lake in Winter, WI where she worked until 1996 for several different owners. In 1996 she took her love of cooking and her well developed business skills that she got from the farming industry and purchased a Supper Club with Cecil and her daughter, Ida. They ran The Evergreen Inn for the next 10 years where they developed an ever increasing number of friends. Although Bertha was disabled in 2001 her spirit and her enthusiasm for cooking and the restaurant industry made her an integral part of the business. In fact she even taught Cecil how to cook! They later sold the Evergreen Inn in December of 2005. Bertha had another passion and that was crafts! In fact she loved to create. It didn't matter if it was with a paint brush, an embroidery needle, crochet hook, gardening spade or just a plain tuna fish can. She was always creating works of art so that she always had the perfect homemade present for every occasion. But perhaps Berthas greatest passion was her family. Bertha was a beloved wife and a loving mother and grandmother who was always putting her needs aside for others. She always had a ready smile and an encouraging word backed by an unbeatable spirit that almost always made a difference in others lives. Bertha believed that hardship lead to perseverance and perseverance lead to character and character lead to hope. And everything hinged on hope. And because of this Bertha will be sorely missed by many, but she also leaves behind an everlasting legacy.

Bertha is survived by her loving husband Cecil; daughters: Michelle Kubicz (Kai Kelly), Ida (Richard) Kinsley; Grandchildren: Misty and Marcus ( Ginger) Kubicz; and soon be Great grand child. Siblings: Barbara Herndon, Phyllis Kahl, Leonard (Sue) Allen, and Mary (Bob) Melchart.

Bertha was preceded in death by her parents Wilbur Carl and Anna Louise ( Hyman) Allen and a brother Wilbur Carl Allen, Jr.