Ivan Arthur Mitchell

1939 - 2020

Ivan Arthur Mitchell

New Philadelphia - Ivan Arthur Mitchell, age 81, of New Philadelphia, died peacefully, surrounded by his family, on Wednesday, November 18, 2020, while in his residence under the care of Community Hospice.

Born on January 27, 1939, at Glenford, Ohio, Art was a son of the late Ivan W. and Mary Loughman Mitchell.

He was a 1957 graduate of Glenford High School where he was the Captain of the Golden Horde Basketball Team, played first chair trombone and served as the President of his class. After going to work on the railroad as a telegraph operator; he then joined the Navy and served as a Radarman aboard the USS Lexington where made several lifelong friends and saw the world. Upon his discharge, Art attended photography school in New York City where he met and married his first wife, Betty Beck. The couple relocated to Newark, Ohio and Art ultimately worked for various photography studios. In 1973, he purchased Stropky Photography and renamed the business, Mitchell's Studio. In 1981, Art hung up his camera professionally and began retirement life. Never one to sit for long, Art soon joined the sales team of Williams Toyota Lift at East Sparta. He also maintained several rental properties which he has kept to this day.

Among his passions in life, Art loved sailing, whether he was on Atwood Lake or living on a sailboat in the Florida Keys and The Bahamas. He loved being on the open water. He maintained a love for photography having had the opportunity to travel and photograph over 54 countries and 49 states during his lifetime. He also had a great love for American and World History.

Art was a fun loving, caring, individual who had a great passion for life. The world never left him for a lack of words or an audience in which to share his adventures and stories. He loved being around his family and those who got to know him and appreciate his one-of-a-kind sense of humor.

Surviving are his wife, the former Rebecca Haufe whom he married on January 17,1992, his daughters, Mary (Jeff) Long of Tuscarawas and Susan (Andrew) Liptak of Green; his step-children, Rebecca (David) Morrison of Akron and Terry Bloom of Streetsboro; his grandchildren, Shane, Austin and Lauren Long, Ashley, Holly, and Emily Liptak, his step-grandchildren, Trinity, Victoria, Isaac and Isaiah Morrison; a sister, Eva May (Jack) Rhodes of Somerset, Ohio, and a sister-in-law, Phyllis Mitchell of Gratiot Ohio as well as his nieces and nephews and numerous cousins and long-time friends.

In addition to his parents, Art was preceded in death by a brother Clifford Mitchell.

The family will greet guests on Monday, November 23, 2020, from 1-4 PM in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia where Pastor Scot Caley will lead a service celebrating Art's life at 4 PM in the funeral home's chapel. Military honors will be rendered immediately following by the Carl C. Stoller Post 1445 of the New Philadelphia VFW.

At this time, the six-foot rule will be honored and all guests are required to wear a mask to enter the funeral home. For the safety of everyone, and to allow other guests to pay their respects, we politely ask that visitors do not linger in the funeral home and to promptly exit the building after greeting the family.

Memorial contributions in Art's name may be directed to Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas, 66675-8516 or to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, Florida 33607.

Those wishing to do so may send the family a personal condolence and light a candle in remembrance of Art by visiting the funeral home's website at www.GeibCares.com.