In memory of a fighter

This morning, a fighter, a citizen activist, a pillar of local politics, and a vast influence on my life passed away. Her name was Martha Bishop, and she was 87 years old.

I first met Martha when, at the age of 17, I walked into a City of Tigard committee meeting and got “hooked.” To me, the idea that a person might be involved in their community seemed natural, so when I learned of another meeting for the next month, I went to that too, and the one after that, and the one after that.

Part of the reason I kept going back was because of Martha. She was by far the oldest person in any given room (unless Curtis Tigard was around) and by far had the deepest memory of the political movers and shakers of the region. She was also a constant champion of younger faces, always delighting in meeting young people who were interested in their community, prodding them to stay involved, prodding them to volunteer for things, prodding them to run for office. I was no exception to this, and she became a sort of political mentor to me. Without her encouragement I doubt I would have become as involved in my community as I am today, nor would I have developed my profound belief in the power citizen involvement in local government.

She did not easily suffer fools. When her neighbors had grievances she went to bat for them. Her single spaced typed letters were notorious at City Hall. But her interests ran past politics, and her fighting spirit came out in defense of people, for she knew what so many forget in politics, that communities are made not just of land, but of livelihoods and people. She was always proud of her house, her latest yard project, her garden, and both the post office and the city hall were frequent recipients of bouquets from that garden.

Unfortunately, I began my time knowing Martha right at the time when she was leaving this life. As the years wore on, her ability to get around decreased, as did her grasp on the present day. Eventually Martha simply could not manage to stay involved in the way she had encouraged so many others to do.

It is no small thing to say that my life was profoundly altered from knowing her. We — our entire community — are poorer for her absence.