In Memoriam: Jeff Bishop

Jeff Bishop passed away with family and friends at his side on May 5, 2025. He was 80 years old.

I first met Jeff in 2003 at my very first industry trade show as the wet-behind-the-ears editor of Cleanfax. I believe it was the Society of Cleaning and Restoration Technicians (SCRT) trade show in High Point, North Carolina.

As I walked the aisles of the show, meeting people and valiantly pretending like I had done this before, Jeff comes up and welcomes me. He obviously knew there was a new editor at Cleanfax, and he sleuthed me out as the likely culprit. We shook hands and chatted, and he put me at ease. Later that evening, he invited me to join him and a few friends for a drink and an opportunity to chat and get to know some key players in the industry.

In one day, I felt like I belonged, and I thank Jeff Bishop for that.

Over the years, I had the privilege of working with Jeff on various projects with the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC), and if we ever disagreed, he would claim that he would never get into a battle with someone who bought his ink by the barrel. We all knew he was kidding. Or was he?

Jeff was a master teacher of all things cleaning or restoration. He was the IICRC technical advisor for many years and was the human Google we relied on.

He also had a wonderful collection of PowerPoints and teaching assets that he licensed, but when you needed something (“Hey, Jeff, I love that picture of the blood on the sofa!”), he would say, “Go ahead and use it.” At least he did with me, but I bet he was that way with a lot of people.

Jeff eventually did what no one thought he would ever do. He retired! I forget the year. Doesn’t matter, it wasn’t that long ago. I visited with him a couple of years ago as he attended an industry event just to see old friends, and he told me all about his RV and his love of dancing and being free to do what he wanted to do.

The legacy of Jeff Bishop

Jeff Bishop is remembered with a legacy of over half a century of steadfast commitment toward education, development of standards, and promotion of best cleaning practices.

Jeff Bishop, pictured on the right, as a young man working at the family cleaning company.

Patti Bishop Savelle, Jeff’s sister, recalls how Jeff’s early days in the cleaning business started in his boyhood, at 10 years old, in Albany, Georgia.

It all originally started when Jeff’s uncle, Eustace Bishop, bought a laundry company in 1952, which he turned into both laundry and dry cleaning. It became Bishop Laundry and Dry Cleaners. Eustace talked Jeff’s father, Lanier Bishop, into joining him in the new family business in 1954.

Jeff’s father used the workplace as a classroom to teach Jeff about hard work and meticulous attention to detail. For a mere 10 cents an hour, Jeff swept floors, washed trucks, and learned the principles of service and discipline he would apply to a lifetime of work.

In the mid-1960’s, Lanier bought a small rug cleaning company, which eventually became Bishop Clean Care, Inc., when he retired in 1978. It was at that time the company was purchased by Patti, her husband at the time, and Jeff.

Early beginnings

Sparked in his youth by visiting a National Institute of Rug Cleaners convention in Chicago, Jeff discovered a sense of purpose in the science and service of cleaning. That interest only intensified on his return from military service in Vietnam. Bishop Clean Care thrived under the guidance of Jeff and Patti. It became a firm that would become a cleaning, water and fire damage restoration, and building maintenance industry leader.

Far from resting on his laurels, Jeff continued to build on his achievements and formed Clean Care Seminars, Inc. With this business, he helped to train thousands of professionals nationwide in courses ranging from carpet and upholstered item cleaning to restoration, marketing, and management. His impact on the industry was profound, changing not just the way services were provided, but also how professionalism and education became cornerstones to the profession.

As the years advanced, in 1985, Patti became the sole owner of Bishop Clean Care, and in 2010 sold the company to her son and daughter-in-law Jud and Jenny Savelle. The firm, now with the third generation in the Bishop family, is thriving.

Jeff’s industry impact

Jeff’s work in industry standards is likely his most legacy. As a driving force in establishment of the IICRC S100 Standard—released in 1991—Jeff was responsible for creating the first-ever industry guide to professional carpet cleaning. His work also helped lead to the development of other IICRC standards, such as those in carpet installation and textile floorcovering inspections.

In 2020, he was recognized as the first-ever inductee to the IICRC Hall of Fame—an acknowledgement of a lifetime of service, integrity, and pioneering effort that helped form the contemporary cleaning and restoration industry.

Apart from his achievements in business, Jeff was a friend, mentor, and instructor to numerous people. He motivated generations of professionals to exceed expectations, uphold a commitment to excellence, and maintain top standards of service.

Although he has been retired in recent times, Jeff was very much respected and admired. His passing will be sorely felt, but he will be remembered in the thousands of professionals he educated, in the guidelines he assisted in drafting, and in the profession he helped to advance.

Jeff is leaving not only a career, but also a movement—demonstrating to future generations what is possible when purpose, determination, and perseverance are combined.

Read Jeff’s Full Obituary

CPT Lanier Jefferson “Jeff” Bishop, Jr., US Army, Retired (December 30, 1944 – May 5, 2025)

Jeff Bishop passed away peacefully on the morning of May 5, 2025, in his home in Abbeville, Alabama at the age of eighty.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Eva Parrish Bishop Fitch (Bill) of Albany, GA, and Lanier Jefferson Bishop, Sr. (Katherine) of Dothan, AL. Jeff is survived by his wife, Cindy Linden Bishop of Abbeville, AL; daughters Cindi Bishop Ramsey (Michael) of Dothan, AL, and Lisa Bishop Currie (Eddie) of Salem, OR; stepchildren Marcus Paul Faye (Sarah) of Headland, AL, and Mara Lee Floyd (Lane) of McDonough, GA. He is also survived by his sisters Patricia Bishop Savelle of Albany, GA, and Nancy Bishop Ponder (Gene) of Bainbridge, GA and Marilyn Bishop, the mother of Jeff’s daughters.

Jeff was a proud and devoted grandfather to fourteen grandchildren: Rebecca Lanier Ramsey (Richard Chastain), Wilson James Ramsey (Eunice), Sara Elisabeth Rowell (Tate), Lauren Margaret Fowler (Jake Lewis), Caroline Elisabeth Fowler (Hunter Evangelista), Katherine Emilie Fowler (Alec Winder), Mary Helen Fowler (Marcus Morgan), Lillian Brooke Fowler, Emily Currie (Elijah Moran), Katherine Currie (Luke Urban), Westin Faye, Parker Floyd, Harrison Floyd, and Ripley Floyd. He also leaves behind beloved nieces and nephews Susan Savelle Mathis (Steven), Judson Savelle (Jenny), Joseph Brent Martin (Jana), James Lanier Martin, Paul Joiner III (Julie) and Bret Joiner (Rachel), along with their children.

Raised during an era shaped by the Great Depression and WWII, Jeff learned early the values of perseverance, enterprise, and service. He developed a strong work ethic by sweeping floors and washing trucks at his father’s business for ten cents an hour. After graduating from Elmwood Park High School in Chicago, where he was co-captain of the swim team, Jeff earned a business degree from the University of Georgia.

He went on to serve in the U.S. Army from 1968–1971. A Distinguished Military Graduate from North Georgia Military College, Jeff also earned the honor of Outstanding Cadet at Fort Bragg and completed both Army and Ranger School at Fort Benning. He began overseas service in Germany, where he trained in tank gunnery and served on the General’s Staff.

Jeff later trained as a helicopter pilot and flew Hueys in Vietnam with the 158th Aviation Helicopter Battalion, Alpha Company (“Ghost Riders”), where he also served as an instructor pilot. His military honors include two U.S. Army Commendation Medals, eleven Combat Air Medals, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Silver Star. His service reflected John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Jeff returned to civilian life in 1971, joining the family carpet and upholstery cleaning business in Albany, GA. In 1974 he and Marilyn moved to Dothan, AL and founded Bishop Clean Care (1974). From such small beginnings came Clean Care Seminars (1977), and ProMaster (1992). The Bishop home often welcomed guests from across the country and around the world who came to learn about carpet cleaning but left having experienced genuine Southern hospitality.

Jeff’s professional legacy reached far beyond Dothan. As a founding voice in the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification), Jeff helped shape standards and practices still in place today. He authored training manuals, developed educational programs, and conducted seminars that elevated the industry. Jeff believed deeply in excellence, integrity, and mentorship—principles he lived out in every business interaction. As he often said, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.”

Yet Jeff’s most transformative experience came through his faith in Jesus Christ. This personal relationship shaped the remainder of his life. He became a student of Scripture, engaging in deep Bible study, mentoring others, and bringing spiritual conversations into everyday moments. Whether at church, in business, or in casual conversation, Jeff sought to reflect the love and truth of Christ to everyone he met.

In retirement, Jeff and Cindy split their time between Abbeville, AL, and Riverside RV Resort in Arcadia, FL. They formed meaningful friendships at both Calvary Baptist Church in Abbeville and First Baptist Church of Fort Ogden, FL. Jeff volunteered with Friends of Army Aviation in Ozark, AL, assisting with community helicopter rides and supporting aviation history and education.

Known for his sharp wit and love of storytelling, Jeff made a lasting impression wherever he went. His Tuesday morning announcements at Riverside always ended with a “true story,” delivering humor with heart and often laughter through tears.

A memorial service will be held at Calvary Baptist Church in Abbeville, AL, on Sunday, May 18. Visitation begins at 2:00 PM, followed by the service at 3:00 PM. The service will be officiated by Reverend Wayne Earnest, Senior Pastor of FBC Fort Ogden, along with Wilson Ramsey, pastoral assistant at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Jeff’s memory to one of the following organizations:

• Calvary Baptist Church, Abbeville, Alabama
• Friends of Army Aviation, Ozark, Alabama
• Wiregrass Hope Pregnancy Center, Dothan, Alabama
• Gator Wilderness Camp, Punta Gorda, Florida

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the many individuals who lovingly cared for Jeff during his time in hospice: Carol Retzer, Mara Floyd; the staff of Gentiva Hospice; and Hearts and Hands Caregiving Services of Dothan.

For additional articles about Jeff’s legacy, or to donate directly in his memory, please visit: Jeff Bishop | Linktree