Mary McLeod Mitchell

November 28, 1927 - January 9, 2021

Mary McLeod Mitchell passed away on Saturday, January 9, 2020 at the age of 93. Mary was born in Corsicana, Texas on November 28, 1927. She was the daughter of EW (Mac) and Bertie Hambrick McLeod. Mary’s mother died when she was fourteen and years later after raising my mother by himself, EW remarried Bess “Granny Mac”. Mac and Bess watched over her as she grew into a beautiful young woman in the West Texas oil fields. Mom’s only sister Francis Holden (Dean). Aunt Fran and Uncle Hank are gone, but not forgotten. A friend of the family paid for mom to go to college at Texas Wesleyan College in Fort Worth where Mary fell in love with our father Merlin Merton Mitchell. After graduation, the two of them began a lifelong romance of learning, teaching, and raising a family of four, Merlin Merton Mitchell Jr. (Candy), James McLeod Mitchell (Tammy Williamson), Stephen Edwin Mitchell, and Suzanne Mitchell Hollar (Bob). They were fortunate to have watched their four children grow up, fall in love, and give them eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. In addition to her immediate family, mom leaves behind her niece, Patti Horning. from California. Mom never once backed away from a responsibility or opted to take the easier path. When she and Dad decided to move to Indiana so Dad could get an advanced degree, her family balked and pressured her not to go. Mom was a woman of strong convictions and others soon figured out where those limits were. She loved our father with all her heart and stood by his side through thick and thin. She loved her family till the day she died. And by the way, you had better never say anything bad about Texas. Dad died in 2015 and Mom never recovered from the loss. She held her head up and greeted everyone with a smile, but you knew her heat was broken. Mom died last Saturday after a lifetime of memories. Rest well mom and thank you. There will be a private service in the weeks to come. In lieu of cards and flowers the family requests donations be made to Big Bend Hospice, 1723 Mahan Center Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32308. Rocky Bevis and Kelly Barber of Bevis Funeral Home (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com) are assisting the Mitchell family with their arrangements.