BIOGRAPHY

Doreatha Bishop was born in Ellenton, a former community that was located on the border between Barnwell and Aiken counties in South Carolina, on 20 December 1914. Her parents were Daniel Alexander Gillis and Lucy Ellen Davis. She was the eighth of ten children and she outlived all of her siblings. As a child, she worked tirelessly, picking peas, beans, and cotton, and cutting asparagus. She watered the cows, mules, and hogs and fed the chickens, ducks, and turkeys. She also gathered firewood and fetched water for her mother to cook. She attended Butler School, a small board school, walking five miles each way through cold and rain to pursue her education. Her parents strongly valued education and were determined that their children receive a good one.

On 5 December 1936, she married Blake Bishop Sr., and together they raised seven children: Richard, William, Annie Mae “Anne,” Blake Jr., Willie Lee, Willie Mae, and Maryann. Blake and Doreatha dedicated many years to working hard on their farm. Once their children grew up and left home for opportunities in the North—some attending college and others joining the military—the couple retired from farming. Doreatha then worked as a nursing aide at the Barnwell County Nursing Home for many years.

Even at the age of 105, she continued to enjoy cooking, gardening, entertaining her family, making lye soap, quilting, and canning vegetables. She had a deep love for cats and flowers. Her guiding motto was: “Have faith in God. It is better to give than to receive. You can change your friends, but not your family.” She is a member of Great Cypress Missionary Baptist Church.

RECOGNITION

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Doreatha Gillis-Bishop celebrates 105th birthday” – The Augusta Chronicle, 5 February 2020

* “Doreatha Gillis-Bishop celebrates 109th birthday” – The People-Sentinel, 27 December 2023

* “‘She’s still the boss’: Midlands woman celebrates 110th birthday” – WACH (channel 57), 21 December 2024

GALLERY