John Wilmot “Jack” Mitchell, 91, died Nov. 18, 2013, at the Vero Beach VNA Hospice House.
Mitchell was born in Fairfield, Conn., on Aug. 5, 1922, the only child of Harry Mitchell and Kathryne Bock.
His prep school years were spent in Florida, where he attended the Florida Military Academy in St. Petersburg on a football scholarship.
He graduated in 1941.
Two years later, he married his longtime sweetheart, Mary O’Connor, in December of 1943.
He joined the Army Air Forces in 1942, and was part of the team that developed and taught advanced instrument flying procedures to new pilots at Randolph Field.
At the end of World War II, he left the Army Air Forces to fly with Trans World Airlines, flying commercial passenger routes throughout the United States.
He rejoined the United States Air Force in 1947, serving until his retirement in 1972, with the rank of colonel after amassing over 16,000 flying hours.
Following retirement from the Air Force, Jack and Mary moved to Vero Beach where he took a job with Town Island Builders, working on construction and development at John’s Island.
Soon thereafter he earned his real estate broker’s license and joined the sales team at John’s Island Real Estate Company, where he worked until his retirement in 2011.
During these years, he and a small group of investors opened the Forty-One restaurant on Royal Palm, and he was actively involved in its daily management until the sale of the restaurant in 1990.
Following the death of son John from cancer in 1990, he and Mary became involved in philanthropy by supporting and actively fundraising for the Moffit Cancer Center and the VNA & Hospice Foundation.
He served on the board of directors at both organizations for many years.
He is preceded in death by his son, John W. Mitchell, Jr. and wife of 67 years Mary.
Survivors include his daughter Marja Morris and husband Charles Morris, of Decatur, Ala.; daughter Sally Mitchell and partner Crispin Spencer, of Vero Beach; granddaughter Beth Morris Veigl and husband Edgar Veigl, of Cullman, Ala.; granddaughter Kathy Morris Jones and husband Steven Jones, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; great-granddaughters Lily Beth Veigl and Chloe Annabelle Jones, and devoted caregiver Thomas Nesby, of Wabasso.
A memorial service was held at the John’s Island Golf Club on Monday, Nov. 25, at 10 a.m., with a reception to follow.
Interment will be in the John’s Island Cemetery in a private ceremony at a future date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the VNA & Hospice Foundation and dedicated to “The Jack and Mary Mitchell Fund for Technology”, 1110 35th Lane, Vero Beach, FL 32960.
Arrangements are by Strunk Funeral Home and Crematory, Vero Beach.
A guest book is available at www.strunkfuneralhome.com.
