Long-time EBBC member and former Oakland BPAC Chair Ron Bishop passed away on December 11, 2011, after losing his battle with cancer.
Ron was chair of the Oakland Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee back in the mid-90’s thru the early 2000’s and helped to organize the very first Bike to Work Day event in Oakland in 1994. He was one of the most widely known and recognized cyclists in Oakland, and helped lay the foundation for a more bike-friendly Oakland back in the formative years of local bicycle advocacy. Recently, Ron could be seen leading beginner ‘Easy Rider Bicycle Club’ rides around the Bay Area, to encourage new cyclists to get out on their bikes more often. Ron was a architect by trade and designed many playgrounds in Berkeley and Oakland. He also was a safety instructor who taught bicycle safety classes.
The Easy Rider organization that Ron founded has a new Leadership Team of five people that will continue the work of ‘one Ron.’ The team held a ride in Ron’s honor on Saturday, December 17 and a moment of silence was held at Crown Point Beach in Alameda, to remember Ron and all he has accomplished. See Ron’s Memorial Ride and click on Home and then on the ride for December 17 (past rides) for photos from the Memorial Ride.
Ron Bishop will live on in the hearts of many and the bike group will carry on some of the work he started. Ron will not be forgotten! We all loved Ron very, very much.
Mary Ann Blackwell, friend.
At the December 16, 2011 Oakland Celebration of 18 miles of new bikeways in 2011, Mayor Jean Quan dedicated Oakland’s newest bike lane on Webster Street in Ron’s honor. Ron would have ridden this new bike lane often from his house in the Temescal to Downtown Oakland. We are sure Ron is smiling somewhere knowing that he helped make this happen.
Ron’s family and friends hosted a barbecue for Ron a few weeks ago and everyone got to say their goodbye’s to Ron at that time. No funeral services are planned. Ron has been cremated and his ashes are going to be interred at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery site in Dixon, CA. He is survived by two daughters, Julia and Camille.
Ron Bishop happy to receive
a 2011 Mayoral Proclamation
recognizing his lifetime achievements
on behalf of bicyclists and pedestrians
