Elizabeth J. Mandigo

Elizabeth Jane Bishop Mandigo died peacefully on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 2021 surrounded by loved ones.

She was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada on April 12, 1931 to the late Mary Russell Bishop and John Gordan Bishop. As a child she was greatly impacted by life on the eastern seaboard during WWII. The Bishop home served as a wayhaven for children from Europe during the war and Elizabeth learned to care about and for others at a young age. Elizabeth overcame childhood polio and was a 1948 graduate of Saint John High School. She completed nursing training at Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, earning her RN in 1952. Elizabeth loved bedside nursing and her patients always remembered her kindness. She demonstrated compassion in all settings, including employment at Indiana Hospital, the Indiana School District as a school nurse and various roles in private duty nursing. She volunteered with many Red Cross blood bank drives. Elizabeth was a born caregiver and spent many fun hours babysitting for family and friends.

Elizabeth met her future husband, Howard, when they were small children; their parents were friends. Elizabeth and Howard Milton Mandigo, Jr. were married in Saint John on May 15, 1953 and moved to Richford, Vermont to help on the Mandigo family farm. Their daughter, Mary Lynn, was born in Saint Albans, Vermont and the family then moved to California while Howard completed his Army military service at the Sacramento Signal Depot. In 1957 they moved to Pennsylvania and established their homestead, High Haven, in Indiana. Their daughters, Nancy Lee and Heidi Beth were born in Indiana. Elizabeth was the backbone of her family, always ready to pitch in and tackle any project. She especially enjoyed building and burning brush piles. All outside jobs were “fun” to Elizabeth. She enjoyed harvesting from the garden and apple orchard, canning produce and making gallons of applesauce. She was drawn to water, especially the ocean. She loved nature, all of God’s little creatures, her Canadian heritage, and most of all her family.

Elizabeth loved dancing with Howard, both square dancing and ballroom style. The connections that she made through dance developed into close friendships, shared family camping trips and many good memories. Elizabeth was a longstanding member of Calvary Presbyterian Church, Indiana, where all of her children were baptized, and she was a member of many committees, serving both as an Elder and a Deacon. She loved sitting in the “family pew” every Sunday, singing hymns and holding the hand of her husband, daughter or grandchild. Helping others was of greatest importance to her. She strove to leave people and places better than she found them and much disliked the physical and mental limitations imposed by progressive Parkinson’s Disease. In later years, her grandchildren brought her much pride and joy as she continued to appreciate their music, dance and art.

She is survived by daughters: Mary Lynn (Skip) Kingston, of Pittsburgh; Nancy Lee Mandigo, of Indiana; Heidi Beth Earhart, of Altoona; grandchildren: Hannah Mandigo Fullerton, of Santa Fe, NM; and Andrew Bennett Earhart, of East Lyme, CT; sisters: Mary Ann Frankina and Nancy Clare Goguen, both of California. Libby treasured her Maple Valley family, who cared for her as one of their own for her final years. Elizabeth was granted angels to care for her just as she had cared for others.

Elizabeth is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Howard Mandigo; and son-in-law, David Andrew Fullerton.

There is no visitation. A celebration of Elizabeth’s life will be held at a later date. Further details will be published here. Robinson-Lytle-Shoemaker Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly suggests memorial contributions be made to Calvary Presbyterian Church, Indiana, PA or to VNA Hospice, Indiana, PA.