John W. Mitchell, 81, seventh of 10 children of David Newton Mitchell and Lillie Ringgold, was born Aug. 10, 1925, near Dover in Pope County, Ark. He died April 12, 2007, at Magnolia Square Nursing Home in Springfield, where he has been a resident for the last five years.
In 1928, his family to moved to Texas and resided in Oklahoma and New Mexico before moving to Missouri in 1935.
Mr. Mitchell attended Arthur’s Creek and Oak Hill rural schools and Houston.
He was inducted into the Navy in September 1944 and was stationed at the U.S. Naval Base in Memphis, Tenn., where he became a seaman first class. He received the American Theatre Medal and Victory Medal and was discharged in April 1946.
He enrolled in a masonry training program offered by the government to veterans after the war. After completing his training, he began a career that lasted more than 50 years. He did all types of masonry work in the Houston area.
He married Clares Loretta Jordan Nov. 27, 1949, at the home of her parents north of Houston. They had four children.
Mr. Mitchell was converted at the Simmons Baptist Church and was a member there for some time before moving his membership to the First Baptist Church in Houston, where he was a deacon.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife in 1995; six brothers, Lee, LC, Herman, Floyd, Ode and Novis; and one sister, Alice Jones.
Surviving are three daughters, Bonnie Sue Mitchell of Dover, Ark., Beverly Ann Keeney of Houston and Barbara Ellen Clayton of Springfield; one son, John Eugene “Gene” Mitchell of Bucyrus; two sisters, Emma Montgomery of Cabool and Ruby Rush of Mountain Grove; 12 grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and 19 step-great-grandchildren.
Services were April 16 at the Evans Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Howell Burkhead officiating. Burial was in the Arthur’s Creek Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Arthur’s Creek Cemetery or the Alzheimer’s Association.
