Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
Ms. Doreatha Bishop smiles at her 109th birthday party on Dec. 20.
Friends and family talk to Doreatha Gillis-Bishop at her 109th birthday party.
Representative Lonnie Hosey was one of the many speakers sharing their well wishes to Ms. Bishop on this momentous occasion.
Ms. Doreatha Gillis-Bishop smiles alongside her children and family.
Alicia Gaines sang a solo in honor of Ms. Bishop’s birthday.
R&R Singers serenaded guests at the party.
9: Deacon David Hutto read scripture and led prayer honoring Ms. Bishop.
Doreatha Bishop’s daughter, Maryann Frank, welcomed the crowd to her mother’s 109th birthday celebration.
Lizzie Etta Wright (left) and her daughter Deloris Brown (right) celebrate their friend’s 109th birthday. Wright celebrated her 100th birthday in August.
Balloons spell out "109" in honor of Doreatha Gillis-Bishop's 109th birthday on December 20, 2023.
The Barnwell State Park community building was adorned in red and gold to celebrate Doreatha Gillis-Bishop’s 109th birthday on December 20.
“I am on cloud nine. I couldn’t be more happy,” said her son Willie Bishop at the celebration.
A mother to many and a friend to all, Bishop has lived in Barnwell County her whole adult life. She was born in 1914 to Lucy Ellen Davis-Gillis and Daniel Alexander Gillis and grew up in Old Ellenton.
“We listen to her because her wisdom has given us strength. Her knowledge has given us the inspiration that we need. She has a special way of anointing every person she meets,” said her friend, Vorise Peeples.
Having lived over a century of life, Bishop has witnessed countless historical events. She was born the year World War I began, and married amidst the Great Depression in 1936, three years before the start of World War II.
She was an adult by the time South Carolina was forced by the federal government to desegregate its schools, and was a child during a hostile time for race relations in the south.
She farmed alongside her siblings and parents, picking a variety of vegetables and tending to the family’s livestock. They did not have running water or indoor lighting.
“I admired the lady then, I still admire her now,” said S.C. Representative Lonnie Hosey, a longtime friend of the Bishop family.
Many speakers at her birthday celebration spoke of her strength and resilience. In the face of adversity, Bishop always prioritized her family and faith.
“She has her strength and encouragement from day to day, she finds no time to complain,” said her daughter, Maryann Frank.
Bishop and her husband Blake Bishop Sr. had seven children who all graduated from Butler High School. Bishop’s son, Willie, remembers he and his six siblings always being treated and loved equally by their parents.
She is the oldest member of the local Pride of Barnwell, Order of Eastern Stars, Chapter #77 (Prince Hall affiliation) having been involved over 45 years. Bishop is also the oldest member of Great Cypress Missionary Baptist Church, where she is the mother of the church.
Bishop was presented with a certificate of recognition from the St. John Benevolent Society in Barnwell where she is the oldest member.
Her birthday ceremony was led by Reverends Benjamin and Lorraine Ryans. Annie Way led a tribute to Bishop, Alicia Gaines sang a solo, and R&R Singers gave a soulful performance.
