William Phillips Bishop

SCOTTSDALE – William Phillips Bishop died June 24, 2019 in Scottsdale, Arizona, following a sudden illness.

He was born March 3, 1932 near Chanute, Kansas, the eldest child of George and Lillian Bishop, and was delivered by his great-grandfather, Dr. Somers, who was the town doctor.

Bill married Claudia Gail Riggin of Topeka, Kansas on May 12, 1961. He graduated from Topeka High School and Washburn University, before pursuing a Masters in Psychology at the University of Kansas. During the 1950s and ‘60s, he performed with the Topeka Civic Theatre, and was well known for his performance in The Drunkard. He was in the antique business for 68 years, beginning while in graduate school at KU. Mr. Bishop opened his first Scottsdale location in 1969, moving to his current location on Main Street in Old Town Scottsdale in 1975. For most of those decades he also had a summer location in Allenspark, Colorado.

Bill had a deep love and compassion for dogs, especially wolf hybrids, and an endless curiosity about the world.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents George and Lillian (Green) Bishop, sister Nancy (Bishop) Flickinger and brother-in-law LeRoy Flickinger, nephews-in-law Ben Crosland and Phillip Fleming, and sister-in-law Barbara Sipes. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Gail Bishop, Scottsdale; brother John Bishop (Marge), Atchison, KS; nephews Rick Flickinger (Janet), Topeka, KS; and David Bishop (Jennifer), Greenwood, MO; nieces Heidi Crosland, Carbondale, KS; Susan Hack (Phil), Topeka, KS; Sally Snell (Michael), Lawrence, KS; Maria Fleming, Lee’s Summit, MO; and many great-nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held in his honor in Scottsdale later this fall, date to be determined.