Joan E. (Kelleher) Mitchell (2004)

MITCHELL, KELLEHER, KANE, JOHNSON, HOSMER, HOLLINS, MINTER, BREDAR, NELSON

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart (email)
Date: 10/30/2012 at 20:48:54

Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa
March 24, 2004

JOAN K. MITCHELL, Des Moines

Joan K. Mitchell died March 22, 2004 of cancer at her home at Scottish Rite Park in Des Moines. She was 78 years old. Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday, March 26 at St. Augustin's Catholic Church. Burial will be in Glendale Cemetery.

Jo was born September 1, 1925 to John F. and Helen Kane Kelleher in Des Moines. One of seven children, she grew up in rural Madison County, Iowa. In 1949 she graduated from Iowa State University, where she was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority. After college, she worked as a new products editor for Successful Farming magazine.

On August 26, 1950, she married John E. Mitchell of Des Moines. After raising four daughters, she returned to work, writing craft directions for National Handcraft, Inc. Later she worked as a technical writer for Communication Data Services, Inc. She retired in 1991.

Jo enjoyed gardening and Sunday afternoon drives with her husband to Madison County. After John died in 1997, she moved to Scottish Rite Park. Besides playing bridge, Jo frequently traveled to visit family and friends.

She is survived by her family, Sue and Vince Johnson and their daughters, Lizzie and Julie of Wilmington, DE; Peggy Mitchell and Steve Hosmer of St. Charles, MO; Mary Pat Mitchell and Jan Hollins and their son, Michael of Hiawatha, IA; and Julie and Dan Minter and their daughters, Christine and Catherine of Wausau, WI, Jo is also survived by two sisters, Do Bredar and Mary Nelson; sister-in-law, Carita Kelleher; and two brothers, Denis Kelleher and Paul Kelleher.

Visitation is from 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday, March 25 at Dunn's Funeral Home, where a prayer service will be held at 4 p.m. Donations in her memory may be made to the Food Bank of Iowa, 2220 E 17th Street, Des Moines, Ia 50316.

Dunn's Iles Funeral Homes