JOHN ANTHONY MITCHELL

JOHN ANTHONY MITCHELL John Anthony "Tony" Mitchell passed away peacefully at St. Vincent Hospital on May 3, 2010 after a short illness. Tony was born July 5, 1936 to Stephen and Evelyn Mitchell near Chicago, Illinois. During World War II, Tony's family summered in the Moreno Valley in Colfax County, an experience that inspired their permanent relocation to Talpa, New Mexico in 1954. Tony graduated Cornell University in 1958 and married Sharon Oelerich (his high school sweetheart) while completing his law studies at the University of Chicago. In 1961, he began practicing law in Santa Fe as his father's partner. The following year, son and father founded First Northern Savings and Loan in Taos, the first savings and loan in northern New Mexico. In 1965, Tony began his 45 year involvement with Taos Ski Valley, where he served as president and, for the last 21 years, as chairman of the company's board of directors. The Santa Fe community will always bear the marks of Tony's devotion to civic improvement. He founded the city's Historical Neighborhood Association and served on the Museum of New Mexico Board of Regents. He re-established CASA, the legal advocacy group supporting abused and neglected children throughout Santa Fe County. He was a generous benefactor to St. Elizabeth Shelter, a member of the St. Vincent Hospital Auxiliary since 2001, and most recently active in the cause to improve the quality of the Santa Fe Public Schools. He is survived by Sharon Mitchell, his wife of 50 years; children: Michael, Elizabeth, Toner and wife Cullen, Peter and wife Melissa, Katherine and husband Brent; grandchildren: Leah, Ethan, Gus, Lily, and Sammy; as well as many, many deeply loved friends. Tony has been such a joyous presence in our lives, heartening us with his generosity, his humor, his commitment to life's highest values, and the joy of sharing in the pursuits of his brilliant and inquiring mind. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Vincent Hospital Auxiliary, 455 St. Michael's Drive, Santa Fe, 87505 or St. Elizabeth Shelter, 804 Alarid Street, Santa Fe, 87505 or a charity of choice. Burial private.