Nancy Gemmell Bishop, 80, of Drums, PA, passed away peacefully on May 2, 2026. Nancy was born in Springfield, MA, and grew up in Hazzardville, CT. She was a graduate of Northfield School for Girls and Northeastern University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. Nancy retired as an employee of PPL after over 33 years, where she worked in the Communications Department at PPL headquarters in Allentown, PA and was supervisor of PPL’s Susquehanna Energy Information Center in Berwick, PA. In her retirement she was a longtime resident of the Sand Springs community in Drums, PA and counted many friends among her neighbors and the staff. As an exceptionally active and highly regarded volunteer, Nancy dedicated her time and seemingly boundless energy to many civic organizations. She was the first female Council President of Columbia-Montour Council of the Boy Scouts of America and served as VP of Marketing among other roles for many years, in addition to being a merit badge counselor. Nancy also donated her time to the Mountaintop Kiwanis Club, was a past president of the Berwick YMCA and on the Board of Directors for South Valley Chamber of Commerce. She also served as Emergency Management Coordinator for Butler Township and Conyngham Borough. Additionally, she was a 59-year member of The Order of the Eastern Star, Temple No. 53 in CT, and a member of St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Allentown, PA where she taught Sunday school and Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults classes almost until her passing. Nancy was president of the Board of Directors for the Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau and after serving remained a fixture conducting what she called “research” for the Bureau. This taxing research involved trips all over the county sampling vineyards, breweries, and visiting scenic spots and small businesses all with a coterie of good friends and documenting it in a blog for the CMVB. Above all, Nancy was a journalist and editor at heart beginning with her first professional job writing obituaries for The Hartford Courant, as editor of The Winchester Star and eventually contributing to The Morning Call. She was generous, a quick dry wit and could quote Shakespeare monologues with ease – and while she may have been a private person, she never ceased to brag to anyone who would listen (or was forced to) about her children, grandchildren and family.
She was predeceased by her parents, Harold and Margaret Neelans of Enfield, CT, and her brother, Alan Neelans and sister-in-law Joan Neelans of East Longmeadow, MA. She will be deeply missed by her sons, Andrew and Eric, daughters-in-law, Linda and Melissa, her long-time companion Roger, grandchildren Alec, Kerry, Thomas, Evan, and Samuel, her niece Kimberly, nephew Keith, and their children Kamryn and Kelsey, and Spencer, respectively.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a charitable donation In Memory of Nancy Bishop to Columbia-Montour Council, 5 Audubon Court, Bloomsburg, PA, 17815 to support their Scouts.
