DAYTONA BEACH — A celebration of life event for the late Sandy Burke Bishop will be held Monday, Nov. 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Mori Hosseini Center at Daytona State College.
Bishop, 68, died Oct. 17 after a sudden illness. The Daytona Beach resident was the former longtime executive director of the Volusia Building Industry Association.
Who was Sandy Burke Bishop?
Bishop was recognized in 2012 by The Daytona Beach News-Journal as one of the Volusia-Flagler area’s “Influential Women in Business” for the positive impacts she was making both professionally and in the community.
As executive director of the VBIA, Bishop represented local builders at a time when most were struggling during the Great Recession. She also oversaw the annual VBIA Parade of Homes event showcasing the latest model homes, floorplans and designs, by area builders.
She also ran her own realty firm, Top Shelf Properties.
Alison Root, the current executive officer of the VBIA, praised Bishop in an interview with The News-Journal in late October as “not only a leader, but (also) a dear friend (whose) dedication to homebuilding, our community, and to helping others was unmatched. Sandy poured her heart into making Volusia County a better place.”
Diana Janzen, a real estate agent with her husband Stan with Adams, Cameron & Co. Realtors, told The News-Journal that “so many people were touched by (Bishop’s) presence and this world was a better place because she was in it.”
As a community volunteer, Bishop remained active up until her death as a board member of the nonprofit FBH Community (Food Brings Hope and Homes Bring Hope).
Forough Hosseini, the founder and chair of the FBH Community, described Bishop as “a serious, tenacious, hard-working lady with a brilliant mind and a heart of gold” and a community “champion.”
Bishop is survived by her husband Steve, her stepdaughter Stephanie Rife, her sisters Jean and Joanne, brother Danny, and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Where can donations be made in Bishop’s honor?
Bishop’s family requests that donations be made in her memory to the FBH Community. FBH’s Food Brings Hope program provides meals to children that attend either Volusia County Schools or Flagler County Schools that come from financially struggling families. Its Homes Bring Hope program helps provide affordable homes to working families that otherwise might not be able to own one.
Where will the celebration of life for Sandy Burke Bishop be held?
The Mori Hosseini Center at Daytona State College is at 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach.
The celebration of life announcement encourages attendees to “wear something purple” in Bishop’s honor.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Celebration of Life planned for former Volusia Building Industry exec Sandy Burke Bishop
Reporting by Clayton Park, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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