HOWLAND – Capt. Earl W. Mitchell, U.S. Marines, retired, 80, passed away Jan. 5, 2012. He was the last of the Marine Corps Mitchell boys to die.
Their family was dedicated and gave collectively 92 years of service to the Marine Corps. Earl served 22 years, his brothers, Gerald served 27 years, Alden served 30 years and Clifford served 12 years. Earl served in Korea and Vietnam, and rose through the ranks as a mustang captain.
Capt. Mitchell was a decorated hero earning the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. After his faithful service to his country he served Orange County in the Property Appraisers office for 22 years.
He married Dorothy in 1968 and had four children, Mary and husband, Dwight Albee, of Orlando, Fla., James and wife, Melody Mitchell, of Winter Park, Fla., and Bill and wife, Lori Mitchell, of Maitland, Fla. He was predeceased by his daughter, Kathleen. He is also survived by two sisters, Lois Homan of Pennsylvania and Linda McArtor of Maine; and five grandchildren, Madison, Sydney, Riley, Cory and Laine.
A Mass will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at St.’s Peter and Paul Catholic Church. A reception will be held after the Mass at Rio Pinar Country Club 8600 El Prado, Orlando, Fla. In lieu of flowers, the family graciously requests donations be made in Capt. Mitchell’s memory to Hospice of the Comforter, 595 Montgomery Road, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714. Arrangements entrusted to Collison Family Funeral Home & Crematory, 3806 Howell Branch Road, Winter Park, Fla.