Cecil Allen Bishop, 88, of Church Road, VA, passed away on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. Born on December 6, 1937, in Brunswick County, VA, he was the son of the late John Gordon Bishop and Georgianna Maitland Bishop. He was also preceded in death by his son, Alan Dale Bishop; son-in-law, Roy Tyler; brothers, Gene McDonald Bishop, Stanley Carroll Bishop, Gordon Vernon Bishop, and Marvin Lewis Bishop; and sisters-in-law, Patricia “Pat” Bishop, Stacie Bishop, and Diane Bishop.

Cecil enjoyed a long and dedicated career with Brown & Williamson Tobacco, beginning at the company's Petersburg, Virginia facility before transferring to Macon, Georgia, where he retired in 1996 after many years of faithful service as a fabrication technician. Beyond his profession, Cecil was a lifelong farmer who found great joy in gardening and all aspects of farming, proudly wearing many hats throughout his life. Known by family and friends as a “human GPS” and living atlas, he seemed to know every road and backway imaginable. A longtime and devoted member of Central Baptist Church in Church Road, Virginia, Cecil’s faith was an important part of his life. In his free time, he enjoyed watching baseball and football, especially cheering on his favorite team, the Georgia Bulldogs- “Go Dawgs!”. He had a deep love for bluegrass music, often attending festivals and welcoming friends and musicians to his home for gatherings filled with music. Cecil truly loved being around people; he had a gift for conversation, enjoyed learning about others, and made everyone feel valued. Kindhearted and generous, he would gladly give the shirt off his back to help someone in need. To know Cecil was to love him, and above all else, he cherished his family and treasured every moment spent with them.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Rose Gauldin Bishop; daughters, Sandy Belshan (David), Janet Tyler, and Kim Daniels (Keath); grandchildren, Ryan Belshan (Becky), Kadi Beck (Tyler), Mandi Smith (Johnathan), Alison Adams (Colton), Kyle Bishop (Elizabeth), Morgan Peterson (Josh), and Seth Daniels (Mayson); great-grandchildren, Aiden, Liam, Easton, Luke, Lexi Kate, Bishop, Caroline, Savannah, Madelyn, Elena, Peyton, Tyler, and Jack; sisters, Marian Rowland (Bobby), Vivian Rowland (Horace), Kathy Boze (Clyde), and Diane Davis (Mike); brothers, Alfred “Cracker” Bishop (Dianne), Roger “Tootie” Bishop (Barbara), John “Mule” Bishop, and Ricky Bishop; daughter-in-law, Valerie Bishop; sisters-in-law, Vickie Bishop and Debbie Bishop; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

A funeral service will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at the Crater Road Chapel of the E. Alvin Small Funeral Homes, 3935 S Crater Road, Petersburg, VA 23805. Interment will follow in Southlawn Memorial Park, S Prince George, VA. The family will receive friends from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home.