Calvin Earl Bishop, 64, of Carthage, passed on Friday, March 7, 2025 at his home; with his wife Jenny by his side.
Calvin was born December 17th 1960 in Cumberland County to the late A. Rudolph Bishop and Mary Virginia Elizabeth (Blount) Bishop.
Born and raised in Fayetteville, Calvin became a member of the Cumberland County Rescue Squad in 1979 as a volunteer and ultimately became the Commander of the Rescue Squad before retiring in 1998.
He began his career as full-time firefighter for the City of Fayetteville in 1981. He progressed through the ranks to Battalion Chief before retiring in 2016. Calvin was a part of the first paramedic class in Cumberland County and later became a part of the first recognized N.C. Technical Rescue Instructors certified by the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Calvin actively taught classes throughout NC and beyond from 1988 – 2023. He was instrumental in the formation of Fayetteville’s first Heavy Rescue Co. (Rescue 1) and in 2005 introduced Fayetteville Fire Department to Urban Search & Rescue by becoming a part of NC Task Force 9. Calvin was promoted to a shift Battalion Chief in 2000. In 2012 he was named Battalion Chief over Special Operations which included Technical Rescue, Trench & Confined Space Rescue, State Urban Search & Rescue Team, as well as Local & State Hazardous Materials Response Team (RRT-3).
After retiring from Fayetteville Fire Department, Calvin worked with NC Emergency Management -both in the State Emergency Operations Center as well as responding when dispatched to assist in managing statewide emergencies and natural disasters.
Calvin also stayed active on the local level as the head of the LEPC (Local Emergency Planning Committee) that was responsible for developing and maintaining response plans for hazardous materials releases within Cumberland County.
In 2022 Calvin began yet another career as the Fire Training Coordinator for Fayetteville Technical Community College scheduling, coordinating, and teaching fire & rescue classes for Cumberland County Agencies. He remained an integral part of FTCC’s teaching staff until the time of his death.
To this day, Fayetteville Fire Department honors his dedicated service by presenting the Calvin E. Bishop “Rescue Responder of the Year” Award; which began in 2018 and is awarded annually to a distinguished firefighter within the department.
He is survived by his wife Jenny R. Bishop of Carthage; a daughter, Lucia (Lucy) Bishop of Fayetteville; a sister, Beth Gray and husband Lance of Fayetteville; a brother, Billy Bishop and wife Jodi of Fayetteville; three nieces, Caroline Parker (Brandon), their sons Mason and Waylon, Anna Gray, and Brenna Bishop. His “bonus family” by marriage are Jenny’s daughters Holly Biggs-Webb of Whispering Pines, Kerry Black Hooper (Jeramy) of Pinehurst, and grandchildren, Ethan, Evan, Collin, and Isabelle.
A celebration of life honoring Calvin will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 16th 2025 at the Fayetteville Technical Community College Fire & Training Center in Fayetteville.
If affiliated with Emergency Services, guests are asked to wear their department t-shirts as a tribute to the magnitude of lives touched and knowledge shared by Calvin to those around our state and beyond. All others are welcome to dress in a comfortable and casual manner.
Online condolences can be made to www.bolesfuneralhome.com
Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.
