Louis A. Mitchell

MITCHELL Louis A. Mitchell, age 78, died Sunday June 24, 2012. Lou was born April 1, 1934 in Newark, OH to Dr. Louis A. and Martha Wright Mitchell. He graduated from Denison University in 1957 where Lou had a distinguished athletic career, being inducted into the Denison University Athletic Hall of Fame. Lou's athletic prowess led to many records and awards, including induction into the Newark High School Athletic Hall of Fame and the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame. Lou's love of Denison was strong. The friendships and experiences he had with Denison, including meeting the mother of his children, Nancy, led him to say, "I consider Denison University to be the single most positive influence in my life outside of my family." While at Denison, Lou became a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and developed many life-long friendships with his brothers and classmates. Following school and 2 years in the United States Army, Lou, learning through hard work and perserverance, worked for the investment firm Ball, Burge, and Kraus from 1958-1971. In 1971 he became the President and owner of County Savings Bank in Franklin and Licking Counties until it was sold in 1996. In 1971, Lou also became President of First Financial Group and remained its President until present. Even though Lou has called Columbus home since 1964, he has focused many of his charitable interests towards Newark and Licking County, including Licking County YMCA (where the Mitchell Family YMCA Recreation Center was dedicated in 2005), The Works, and establishing A Call To College Program with Jane McConnell which provides college scholarship money to Newark High School students. In addition, Lou started the Licking County Settlers, a summer wood bat baseball league for college players striving to make it in the major leagues. While he focused on Licking County, he still found time to give back to Central Ohio as well, serving as President of the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio, Central Ohio Savings and Loan League, and A Better Chance; serving on the Boards of Ohio Historical Society Foundation and I Know I Can; and being a former member of YPO. While he worked on behalf of many organizations, Lou was always drawn to Denison, serving as a Life Trustee since 1998 and dedicating the Mitchell Athletic and Recreation Center in 1994. Lou was also a member of The Columbus Club, Columbus Country Club, The Golf Club, and The Athletic Club of Columbus. It is his time at The ACC, on the basketball court that summarizes Lou beautifully. Lou wrote, "Up until I was 60 years old, I managed to play full court basketball regularly at noon at the ACC - probably to the detriment of my best business interests." He simply loved sports and the competition, no matter if it was playing at a highly competitive level, or simply playing at lunch at The ACC. Lou is survived by his loving, supportive, and caring wife of 22 years, Cynthia Halliday Mitchell. Lou was very proud of his six children and three step-children, Tad Mitchell and fiancé, Christine Meshanko, Judy (Mark) Heffernan, David (Lisa) Mitchell, Mark (Emmy) Mitchell, Connie (Jim) Moran, Sandy (John) Brown, John (Courtney) Halliday, Tom (Marcie) Halliday, and Beth (Brenton) Gath. Lou loved attending as many of his 28 grandchildren's sporting events as possible, Mark Jr., Mitch, Ryan, and Samantha Heffernan; Hayley, Jake, Ryan, Griffin, and Avery Mitchell; Storey, Sklyer, Zibby, and Spencer Brown; Payton, Grayson, Larkin, Rees, and Quinn Moran; Jack, Cooper, Piper, Truett, AJ, Emerson, and Mary-Grace Halliday; and Dunbar, Ashley, and Ewan Gath. There will be a Memorial Service Thursday June 28 at 1 p.m. at Broad Street Presbyterian Church, 760 E Broad St followed by a Celebration of Lou's Life at the ACC from 2:30-5 p.m. There will be a private burial in Maple Grove Cemetery in Granville. In lieu of flowers, please contribute in Lou's memory to A Call To College, PO Box 4145, Newark, OH 43055. Please visit, www.schoedinger.com to share a memory of Lou.