Obituary of Barbara Mitchell

BARBARA J. MITCHELL (WELSH) PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY ON FRIDAY, APRIL 19^TH AT THE AGE OF 93.  SHE WAS PREDECEASED BY HER PARENTS, FREDERICK WELSH AND MINNIE WELSH (OUTHOUSE) AND HER HUSBAND, BERNARD MITCHELL SR.  BARBARA IS SURVIVED BY HER SON, BERNARD MITCHELL JR. (LAURIE), HER DAUGHTER KAREN RIPPEL(GARY), HER FIVE GRANDCHILDREN; GARY RIPPEL(JENNIFER), KRISTI SHEPARD (TONY), GREGG RIPPEL (KIA), DANIEL MITCHELL, AND ALLISON MITCHELL-MERLINO(FRANK) AS WELL AS HER SEVEN GREAT GRANDCHILDREN AND FIVE GREAT-GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.

BARBARA WAS BORN ON MARCH 5^TH, 1926 AND WAS RAISED IN PEEKSKILL, WHERE SHE LOVED BEING WITH FRIENDS, DANCING TO MUSIC AND PLAYING THE SAXAPHONE IN HER SCHOOL BAND.  SHE MARRIED BERNARD ON JULY 1, 1944 SHORTLY BEFORE HIS LEAVING FOR WWII AS PART OF THE NAVY.  SHE RAISED HER TWO CHILDREN AND ENJOYED BEING A HOMEMAKER, CONTINUING TO HELP RAISE HER GRANDCHILDREN IN THE SAME HOME.  IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD, SHE WAS EVERYBODY’S MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER.  SHE NEVER BATTED AN EYE AT WATCHING THE NEIGHBOR’S KIDS OR FEEDING ANYONE THAT CAME TO HER DOOR SNACKS AND SITTING DOWN TO PLAY GOOD BOARD GAME.  HER YARD WAS THE PLACE TO PLAY IN THE NICE WEATHER; HER DRIVEWAY WAS THE PLACE TO SLED IN THE WINTER.  SHE LOVED THE HOLIDAYS, AND HER HOUSE SEEMED TO BE CHRISTMAS ALL YEAR ROUND WITH SANTA CLAUSE FIGURES, PILLOWS, BLANKETS AND PICTURES FILLING HER HAPPY HOME.  SHE SPENT MANY YEARS CRAFTING, READING, AND ALWAYS ENJOYED HER “PROGRAMS.” SHE LOVED WATCHING SHIRLEY TEMPLE MOVIES AND GAME SHOWS.

SHE SPENT MANY SATURDAYS WITH HER GIRLFRIENDS, (WHOM SHE LOVINGLY REFERRED TO AS “THE GOLDEN GIRLS”), PLAYING A COUNTLESS AMOUNT OF CARD GAMES, DRINKING COFFEE AND LAUGHING.  SHE ATTENDED CHURCH ON SUNDAY’S AND LIKED BEING AN ACTIVE PART OF HER COMMUNITY.  BARBARA WOULD ALWAYS STOP WHAT SHE WAS DOING TO HELP SOMEONE IF THEY CALLED, WITHOUT HESITATION.  SHE WAS STRONG WILLED, INDEPENDENT, QUICK-WITTED AND SMART.  SHE LOVED VERY DEEPLY AND HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS WERE HER WORLD. SHE WAS A PROUD WOMAN IS SO MANY WAYS.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, THE FAMILY IS ASKING FOR DONATIONS IN BARBARA’S NAME TO ORGANIZATIONS DEAR TO HER: FISHER HOUSE FOUNDATION, Fisher House, OR FRIENDS OF KAREN Friends of Karen

A MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT TRINITY BOSCABEL METHODIST CHURCH IN BUCHANAN NY ON MAY 20^TH AT 11:00 AM