Francis Edmond Mitchell

JOSEPHINE On January 15, 2012, Francis Edmond Mitchell, was called home. He is now in a better place leaving many to mourn his passing. Francis was born on November 22, 1925 to John and Dimple Gover Mitchell. He was the 4th of 7 children. He attended Amarillo High School. He left school before graduating and enlisted in the Navy. He received his diploma after returning home after the war. Serving during WW11, he was stationed on Manus Island, part of the Admiralty Islands of Papua, New Guinea. During his time in the Navy, he was assigned to Naval Intelligence. He was ranked as Boatswains Mate, a designation given by the Bureau of Naval Personnel to servicemen who were able to fulfill many duties on board ship. He was in the active duty from 1943 to 1946. After his discharge, he came to work in Odessa for Western Electric. During that time he met Wanda McElyea, who was working as a telephone operator. They married on June 15, 1947 in Odessa. In 1948, Francis went to work for the Odessa American. He worked in the pressroom until 1950 and at the time he left there, he was the pressroom foreman. He worked for newspapers in Wichita Falls and Denver, CO. before settling in El Paso where he worked at the newspaper until his retirement in 1989 after 32 years. After his retirement the family moved to Josephine, TX. He was living there at the time of his death. Francis was always busy. He loved to build things and spent much of his time working on various projects. He loved camping and the outdoors. Many summers were spent in the Gila Wilderness hunting arrow heads and pottery chards of the Mogollon Indians who had dwelled there over seven hundred years ago. No matter where he was or what he was doing his family was always his priority. He was a member of the church of Christ.

Surviving him are his wife of 64 years, Wanda; daughter, Arvilla Mitchell; sons, Steve Mitchell and his wife, Heidi of Waxahachie, TX., Kaven Mitchell and his wife, Dawn of Wylie, TX., Justin Mitchell of Arlington; grandchildren, Darlene Eaves and her husband, Sandon, Christopher Mitchell, Tyler Mitchell, Melody Mitchell and Paige Mitchell. Christopher is serving in the U,S.A.F. in Nevada and Tyler is also in the U.S.A.F. stationed in England. Great-grandchildren, DeWayne Mitchell and Kayla Mitchell and great-great-grandson, Mason Mitchell, along with many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his sisters, Bonnie Stover of Granbury, TX., Selmah Gatfield of Idaho and Ginger Mitchell of Albuquerque.

Preceding him were: his granddaughter, Paula Mitchell; his parents; sisters, Angeline Hayes, Joan Fowlkes; brother, Joe Mitchell, also some nieces and nephews that he considered his own kids.