Mitchell, Ivan R. 1923-2004

MITCHELL, WILLITS, OSWEILER, LAWSON, SHEROD, WITTE, PLEMMONS, MUNTZ, HOAGLIN

Posted By: Debbie Nash (email)
Date: 5/15/2004 at 16:27:57

Ivan R. Mitchell
May 13, 2004

Ivan R. Mitchell, 80, of Bonaparte died at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, May 11, 2004, at Van Buren County Hospital in Keosauqua.

A graveside service and burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in Thompson Cemetery southwest of Bonaparte, with the Rev. Catie Newman officiating. The body has been cremated.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Bonaparte United Church.

Pedrick Funeral Home in Keosauqua is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Mitchell was born May 30, 1923, near Bonaparte, the son of Donald R. and Beulah Willits Mitchell. He married Helen A. Osweiler Jan. 30, 1946, at St. Boniface Church in Farmington. She died Sept. 22, 1966. He married Betty Lawson Sherod April 12, 1974 at Farmington United Methodist Church. She died Aug. 4, 2003.

Mitchell was employed as Bonaparte town marshal and maintenance man and owned and operated a service station and coin-operated laundry in Bonaparte. He also worked on construction projects, including the mile-long bridge over Red Rock Lake and the Keokuk dam. He retired from the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown.

He was an outdoorsman, hunter and fisherman.

Survivors include one daughter, Carole Witte and husband Don of Winston-Salem, N.C.; four sons, Donald Mitchell and wife Phyllis of Bonaparte, Matt Mitchell and wife Carol of Bonaparte, Mark Mitchell and wife Karen of Salem and Todd Mitchell and wife Brenda of Peosta; one stepdaughter, Mary Ann Plemmons of Battletown, Ky.; 14 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren; and one brother, Robert Mitchell of Kahoka, Mo.

In addition to his wives, he was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Mary Louise Muntz; onestepson, Richard Sherod; a stepdaughter, Sheila Hoaglin; and one step-granddaughter.

Courtesy of the Fairfield Daily Ledger Inc. 2004