Todd Robert Bishop

TODD ROBERT BISHOP

Todd Bishop was born on 6/14/1957 and passed on 12/24/2016.

Todd had a sparkling smile and a contagious laugh. He was an incredibly smart and kind person who marched to the tune of his own drum, finding good in people and joy everywhere.

Todd was the first of twins born to Gary and Judy Bishop on Flag day. He must of jumped to get out because his sister Cori was born with two black eyes. When the delighted parents brought their beautiful twin babies home (Cori recovered quickly), their thrilled sister Debbie thought they were the two best gifts anyone could have.

Todd was thoughtful, creative and inventive. He liked to figure out how things worked, and in doing that learned how to invent things. He invented a functioning steam engine for a science fair at his elementary school, Frank D. Parent, when he was six and turned a vacuum cleaner into an exhibit on what smoking does to lungs for another science project.

He loved to draw and started drawing houses early on. His drawings were complete with landscaping and interior design, even as a little guy.

Todd enjoyed spending time at his family's Christmas tree ranch near Tennant, California. It was like Disneyland in the woods. His paternal grandfather practically pruned the whole forest and planted daffodils along the stream beds. The kids had many adventures, including playing hide and seek riding mini-bikes in the woods, hiking, climbing and swimming in the icy streams. The residences were a cluster of cabins, a cook house, an antique barn and a rag-tag trailer called the "Crystal Palace".

Not much fazed Todd...even as a child. Early one morning, Todd and his two sisters were asleep in the Crystal Palace, when a cow poked his head inside. The trailer was narrow, so the cow's nose was just a few feet from Todd's head. When the cow mooed, Todd opened his eyes and looked at the cow. The cow looked at Todd. Todd rolled over and went back to sleep.

Todd's maternal grandparents had a trailer on the lake at Arrowhead. He loved being there too, boating, skiing, playing in the lake, in the arcade and in the town of Blue Jay. He also loved the bar-b-ques, parties and luaus his family and the neighbors would do.

Todd's dad often took the family to Catalina on weekends. Todd loved to water-ski to the Turtles' song "Happy Together" blaring from the family boat tape deck. He and his family went diving, swimming and fishing during the day and spent evenings in the Catalina arcade and movie theater. Todd especially liked the waffles at the small town coffee shop and talking (and laughing) under the stars at night. Trips to Catalina were magical. On one trip over, a school of dolphins escorted the family boat almost the whole way. Dolphins took turns jumping over bow as Todd's dad drove the boat as carefully as he could to not hit any of them as they flew over the ecstatic children's heads. It was a day Todd remembered happily. He continued boating all of his life. He had a cabin with a dock at the Delta on the Sacramento River where he spent fun times with his friends and family.

Growing up, Todd worked part-time in his family's Christmas tree (and fireworks) businesses. In those days, the Christmas trees were sold at the train tracks in downtown LA. His family would hold tree auctions right out of the boxcars and trees were also sold in lots next to the trains. There were food vendors, decoration stands, lights and excitement. It was always busy and Todd loved being there.

One of his first jobs was mapping out the Los Angeles region for Sparks and Muller, a commercial real estate company. This was pre-google. He rode his bicycle 8-10 hours a day to do this. It paid off later in traffic jams - Todd knew all the best routes to take.

Music was a huge part of Todd's life. He loved all types and made the best mix tapes, personalized for every occasion, from albums he collected. He enjoyed taking his family and friends to hear amazing singers, like Etta James and Donna Summers, in tiny clubs in West Hollywood. He also loved playing the saddest country western tapes on car trips for his mom and sisters . They cried and laughed the whole drive and the girls rarely arrived at their destination with any mascara left.

He graduated from Rolling Hills High School in 1975. He studied architecture at Golden West College, graduating in 1977. Moving to West Hollywood, Todd studied interior design at the Interior Designers Guild in the Pacific Design Center. For his final presentation Todd designed a Disco Laundromat that was so inventive that all of the teachers in the school came to see it. His vision was a retro disco where you could do your laundry, dance, eat and drink. He graduated in 1979 with honors and received an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree.

After college Todd worked designing houses for an architecture firm. Later, he joined his father's real estate development company. He designed and built several successful housing projects with his dad, complete with structure, landscaping and interior design. During this time, he got his contractor's license, and remodeled several homes in Los Angeles. Todd furthered his career by becoming a Realtor and Mortgage Broker. He worked at Prudential California Realty where he was a Top 5% Nationwide Sales Realtor. In 2008 -2011 Todd worked with Keller Williams Realty and from 2011 on at Today's Realty Group and Loan Solutions.

In the early '80s Todd did a centerfold spread for Playgirl magazine. Todd ate nothing but plain tuna for two weeks while he got in shape for the photo shoot. When the issue came out, he proudly burst into the family room of his grandparents house carrying a bundle of the magazines under his arm. His grandmother "Nana" was surrounded by her sisters and Todd's sisters. He gave copies to everyone! No one had never seen Nana's eyes get that big and wide before. She looked up at Todd smiling and told him "Wunnerful, Todd, just wunnerful"... that was a very funny afternoon. (Todd's family loved Todd and was always (and is) very proud of him.)

Todd enjoyed working out. He competed for and won Mr Piston's Leather contest in 2008. Todd's friend, John Embry was a great pioneer, publisher and activist. John founded Drummer Magazine in 1975. Embry moved the magazine to San Francisco after the " ED Davis" Raids in the 1970s. The magazine was involved in a contest every year. In 2011, Todd competed for and won the title (formerly MR. Drummer) now, California Leather Sir 2011. The award meant a great deal to him, especially because of his friend.

In the '80s Todd lived in Topanga Canyon. He drove a bright purple VW bug. One Easter, Todd hosted the family get together. Somehow, the emergency brake released on his car and it rolled downhill. When his family drove up the canyon from below, they saw a giant purple "egg" sitting at the very top of a 60 foot tall pine tree. It looked like the Easter bunny laid a big one. Todd was very upset, but still threw a great party.

Todd was incredibly brave. There was a horrible fire that ravaged the canyon he lived in. Todd stayed to help neighbors and their animals get to safety, then drove back in to help more escape. Later, during the Baldwin Hills fire, Todd raced in and manned his grandparents roof with a lawn chair, a radio and a garden hose. The house was saved.

He befriended little old ladies and helped them for many years. One such friend, Nadine, needed some work on her house in West Hollywood. Todd happily stepped up to do it for her. He enlisted his sister to paint doors. Nadine's son, who happened to be blind, also wanted to help. Todd set them both up in the backyard, side by side, with paint sprayers. Nadine's son, it turned out, was also chatty... and he turned to Debbie every time he spoke...not realizing he was pointing the paint sprayer with him. She got soaked head to toe. No one told the son - not wanting to make him feel bad. Todd wiped the gray paint from her eyes and laughed his head off as he washed her off with the garden hose.

Todd was a problem solver. In the late '80s he remodeled a house where he and his partner lived in the Hollywood Hills. Like always, a party was scheduled for the evening of completion. Bad weather had caused delays so family and some friends came early to help him finish. The new varnish on the hardwood floors he put in didn't dry, so Todd got out the blow dryers... They finished drying the floors just as the first guests arrived, and the house looked fabulous!

Lori Donato was one of Todd's friends from Rolling Hills that he had a life time friendship with. Lori is a fantastic singer and pianist. Todd studied singing under Lori - and got his mother to join the class. For their final, the class performed at a private club beneath a Mexican food restaurant in Silver Lake. Todd and his mother have great voices and the audience, jam packed in the small room, loved the show. It was a wonderful evening. Todd was thrilled to have that experience with his mom, too.

The pink cadillac that his grandfather drove when Todd was young made an impression on him. So one of Todd's first cars was a Cadillac Eldorado convertible. He loved the big fin tail lights. He fixed it up and had it painted bright red. Soon after he also bought a '48 Willy's jeepster, that he also painted bright red and added black and white spotted seat covers.

Todd had the ability to "see" people with an open heart, non-judgmentally, and with love and kindness. This insight enabled him to write hysterically funny, touching stories starring characters similar to people he had met throughout his life. He wrote a screenplay about women in a mobile home park that was poignant and funny while dealing with real-life problems and friendships.

Todd was a Mortgage Broker and Realtor. He worked for Today's Realty for five years and won an award every year. In addition, in the last year of his life he used his continuous creativity and designed a brilliant, well-planned, luxurious mobile home park for Palm Springs. He was to be the exclusive Realtor for the project. He was starting a new "second" job working for a prefabricated home builder. Todd knew every vacant lot in the Palm Springs, Indio area. He designed the ingenious plan of matching vacant lots to pre-fab homes so buyers can get their dream home at not only a better price than an existing house but they could choose their finishes and landscaping. He was very excited about his future.

Most people that follow a spiritual path search for it during their lives. Todd was born that way. He lived his whole life to the fullest, making every day a wonderful experience for himself and others. He loved unconditionally, was non-judgmental, went out of his way to help others, was kind-hearted, intelligent, and funny. Many people light up a room. Todd's light shined so bright it was like a spot light beamed on him every where he went (with an orchestra).

Todd befriended many elderly ladies and did handywork for them for free. Often bringing them food and checking on them from time to time. He adopted an elementary school and arranged for every child to get badly needed school supplies. When a development project on the shores of the bay in Vallejo threatened the neighborhood water view, Todd lobbied the city. He got approval and then planted a beautiful rose garden in honor of the mayor on the land instead. So the neighbors kept their view and home values – and the mayor's legacy will be remembered by the garden in her name.

During the 80s aids epidemic, Todd lost more than 300 friends. It is amazing that he had that many friends. Equally incredible is that he remained healthy throughout that horrible time. Todd worked with aids groups searching for and promoting alternative and supplementary remedies to battle aids. He helped at hospices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. When someone passed on they would gather outside and let a balloon float into the sky in the person's honor. Todd continued helping others by working part time at the Betty Ford Clinic and another hospice.

In real estate, he would fix up a house and stage it complete with paint touch ups and flowers, then list it for his client. If someone needed a place to stay they were always welcome at Todd's. If there was a problem or emergency, Todd could be counted on to help – sometimes he would just show up, without being asked. He was capable and organized. He had terrific solutions for everything.

Todd was incredibly creative. He always had new projects and that would have continued forever. He led a life jam-packed with happiness, excitement, friendship, love and joy. He taught those around him how to see the wonder around us, how to find fun in mundane tasks and magic in adventures. He found the best retro diners and would remember the waitresses names. He took his family and friends to great dive bars and clubs to see talent like Etta James, Donna Summers, Lori Donato and more. Todd was a natural comedian. He would see the bright side in any sad story and had a funny punch line for everything. He made people feel good about themselves, because he loved them unconditionally. Everybody. The room lit up when he entered, and everyone felt happier and we were all soon laughing...continously. He was such fun on road trips. He would stop at unusual places like an ostrich farm, amazing hardware and antique stores, cozy towns, pretty restaurants, and out of the way oddball locations – creating wonderful memories that, like our love for Todd, will be cherished forever.