Kirsten Lynn Bish, 56, of Bedford, passed away on July 10, 2026, at the Indiana University Health Bedford Hospital. She was born on June 1, 1970, in Palatine, Illinois, to the late Vern Jay and Marsha Sandberg Bish. In 2006, she married Donovan Wilson, who survives her and cherished her deeply.
Kirsten spent her life making art and championing the artists around her. She never met a medium she didn’t want to try — if it could be created, she wanted her hands in it. She studied at the Art Institute of Atlanta and carried that creative drive with her everywhere she went. She was every bit as devoted to theater as to visual art, working a variety of tech roles and serving as stage manager for local theaters. In Manistee, Michigan, she took to the airwaves as a DJ for the local radio station, working the board and assisting the sports announcer for the local high school football team. She also spent several years as a judge for high school forensics competitions in Manistee, helping shape the next generation of public speakers.
Kirsten lived as a disabled woman with unstoppable resolve. No challenge that came her way ever dimmed her willingness to try something new, learn something hard, or throw herself into her next project. She met the world with a fierce wit and a wonderful sense of humor that her friends and family will carry with them always.
Surviving to cherish her memory is her husband, Donovan Wilson; her two fur babies, Gonzo and Dar; her brother, Travis Bish (and his wife, Katey Jackson); and her lifelong friend, Ashley A. Andrews (AKA A3), whom she met at age seven and remained close with for the rest of her life — including as devoted pen pals whenever the two lived apart.
Cremation was chosen, and no services will be held.
Ferguson-Lee Chapel of Thorne Family Funeral Homes in Bedford is honored to have been entrusted with the care of Kirsten and her family during this difficult time.
Memories and condolences may be shared and flowers ordered at www.ThorneFunerals.com.
