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Our Family
Genealogy Pages
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 1921 - 2012 (91 years)
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| Name |
William McKim Mitchell |
| Birth |
6 Jan 1921 |
Brattleboro, Windham, Vermont, USA  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Military Service |
5 Nov 1942 |
| US Army Air Force |
| Death |
26 May 2012 |
Keene, Cheshire, New Hampshire, USA |
- William McKim Mitchell died peacefully at his home following a recent period of declining health.
He was born in Brattleboro, VT on January 6, 1921, son of Robert and Lillian (Manning) Mitchell. He graduated from Brattleboro High School, class of 1939. He was a member of the Brattleboro High School Ski team as a ski jumper. He ski jumped all over New England until extensive leg fractures sustained at a ski meet on Harris Hill in Brattleboro in February of 1942 ended his ski jumping ventures. He was employed in his early years by the Brattleboro Reformer and the Stephen Daye Press.
On November 5, 1942 William enlisted in the Army Air Force and went into the Civilian Pilot Training Program to be a flight instructor. The program was canceled in 1943. He transferred to the Aviation Cadet Program in the class of 1944. He graduated from Napier Field, Dothan, Al in December of 1944 with a 2nd Lt. Commission and received his fighter pilot's wings. He had fighter gunnery at Eglin Field, Fla, Auxiliary Field #7. He was transferred to Lincoln Air Force Base in Lincoln, NE where he received his combat gear and overseas shots. The day he was to ship out to P-47 School the program was canceled. He was transferred to Perrin Field in Texas to wait out the end of the war. There were many flight training fields for British Cadets in Texas and Oklahoma, when the war in Europe ended. He flew many of those planes to the airplane junkyard in Albuquerque, N.M. He was honorably discharged from the Army on November 5, 1945.
He married Prudence Skerry on May 17, 1949. They made their home in Chesterfield in 1951, running a dairy farm from 1951 to 1967. William was an active member of the community over the years seen behind the wheel of a school bus during his dairy farming years and served the town as a member of the Fire Department, the Historical Society, the Budget Committee, the Board of Adjustment and the Board of Selectmen. His handiwork lives on to be seen in various towns in VT and NH by his art of stone wall laying and house building as well.
He was a member of the Gideons International and a founder of Friends of Pisgah, having served as it's first president. His home was the site of countless Bible studies beginning in the 1960s, fostering his love of the study of and the teaching of the Word of God, including Word of Life meetings for teens in the 1970's and he still was teaching from his home as recently as January, 2012. He was a devoted attendee of Grace Community Evangelical Free Church on Swanzey Road in Spofford, NH, which is pastored by Lew M. Miller, who was a member of the first Word of Life meetings at the Mitchell home.
William was pre-deceased by his wife, Prudence, in May 2003, his brother Richard of Hinsdale in September of 1989 and his brother, Donald, of Chester VT in January of 2007.
He is survived by 2 sons also of Chesterfield: McKim William and his partner Jon Glende; and Peter Edmund and his wife Shelly. He had three beloved grandchildren: SSG. Peter William of the United States Army stationed in Colorado Springs, Co, and his wife Melinda; Sally Lynne currently of San Francisco, CA; and Emily Esslinger and her husband Gregory from Rindge, NH.
A memorial service will be held at Grace Community Evangelical Free Church, 49 Old Swanzey Rd. Spofford, NH on Friday, June 1, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. A private graveside service will take place earlier. Fletcher Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 33 Marlboro St., Keene, NH is in charge of the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Grace Community Evangelical Free Church in Spofford, NH.
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| Burial |
1 Jun 2012 |
Spofford, Cheshire, New Hampshire, USA |
| Person ID |
I9281 |
Lasbury Family |
| Last Modified |
26 Apr 2024 |
| Father |
Robert Oliver Mitchell
b. 1875, Ballysodare, Sligo, Connacht, Ireland
d. 28 Mar 1952, Chesterfield, Cheshire, New Hampshire, USA (Age 77 years) |
| Mother |
Lillian Edith Manning
b. 16 Dec 1882, Lebanon, New London, Connecticut, USA
d. 5 Sep 1946, Brattleboro, Windham, Vermont, USA (Age 63 years) |
| Marriage |
Yes, date unknown |
| Family ID |
F3095 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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| Event Map |
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 | Birth - 6 Jan 1921 - Brattleboro, Windham, Vermont, USA |
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 | Death - 26 May 2012 - Keene, Cheshire, New Hampshire, USA |
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 | Burial - 1 Jun 2012 - Spofford, Cheshire, New Hampshire, USA |
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