Mitchell, Forrest J. Sr. 1907-1979

MITCHELL, WELSH, GANSCHOW, DUNCAN

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 2/8/2012 at 09:03:15

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; Oct. 11, 1979

MR. MITCHELL SERVICES TODAY

Forrest J. Mitchell Sr., 72, of Rock Creek Lake died Monday afternoon, Oct. 8, at Grinnell General Hospital, following a lengthy illness.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at the Grinnell Christian Church, with the Rev. John Epperson, pastor of the church, and the Rev. Herbert Lisle of Martinez, Calif., officiating.

Music will be provided by Mrs. Chet Jones, organist, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Toney and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brown, vocalists.

Pallbearers will be Col. Bill Moss, Col. Dick Bundy, Col. Paul Woods, Lt. Col. Dave Schuessler, CW4 Bob Kirman, CW4 Leonard Hanna, CW4 Jack Yepsen, and Brig. Gen. Wayne Daffron (ret.). Honorary pallbearers will be Jim Buitendorp, Fred Edmundson, Dwight Thompson, Russell Woolever, David Duncan, Michael Fletcher, Gerald Beech, John Klein, and Jim Cunningham.

Military rites will be conducted by members of the Iowa National Guard Ceremonial Unit. Burial will be at Rock Creek Cemetery west of Grinnell.

Should friends desire, memorials in Mr. Mitchell's name may be made to the Easter Seal Foundation and left at the Smith Funeral Home.

The son of James and Lena Welsh Mitchell, he was born April 20, 1907, at Queen City, Mo. He was married to Doris Ganschow on Nov. 13, 1930, at Osceola. The couple had two children.

They made their home in Des Moines until 1969 when they moved to Rock Creek Lake.

Mr. Mitchell was a member of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kellogg. He was also a member of the Auburn Masonic Lodge, the Za-Ga-Zig Shrine, the Sojourners, the 34th Division Association, and the Retired Officers Association, all of Des Moines.

During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy in Idaho and Virginia and on the U.S.S. Incredible and the U.S.S. Alcor. Following his discharge from the Navy, he was the state armament officer for 21 years with the Iowa National Guard in Des Moines.

Survivors include his wife, Doris; his children, Mrs. David (Doris Anne) Duncan of Rock Creek Lake and Forrest J. Mitchell Jr. of Grinnell; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents.