Martha Mitchell

1917 - 2019

Martha Pegram Mitchell CHARLOTTE - Martha Pegram Mitchell, 101, a resident of Sharon Towers in Charlotte, NC died Tuesday, 30 April 2019. Martha was born at home in rural Steele Creek Township during the first great war on 1 November 1917. She was the youngest of seven children growing up on a farm and lived through the great depression. In 1939, as a senior nursing student, she was ordered by a physician to assist him with a patient, a young college student Raymond M. (Jack) Mitchell, who would turn out to be the love of her life and was her husband for 53 years. Martha graduated from Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing in 1940, and while doing private duty nursing at Charlotte Memorial Hospital that year, she heard the staff discussing the formation of an Army evacuation hospital unit using Charlotte Memorial Hospital medical staff and thought Oh I could do that! She served with the 38th Evacuation Hospital from its inception through December 1943 when she was rotated back to the United States. Upon her return to the states, she discovered that she was the inspiration for the painting that was used for the cover of the December 27, 1943 Life magazine. Martha and Jack were married in May 1944 before he went overseas. After she and Jack were discharged from the Army, they returned to Charlotte and raised three children. She returned to nursing at Presbyterian Hospital, eventually becoming the third shift nursing supervisor, and retired from nursing in 1985. After retirement, she volunteered with Shepard's Center and gave presentations about her experiences with the 38th Evacuation Hospital and growing up during the great depression. Martha was predeceased by her parents and siblings and her husband Jack. She is survived by her children Carolyn Lee Van Malssen of Chapel Hill, NC, Ruth Mitchell Olsen and husband Robert of Braintree, MA, Gregory Mitchell and wife Anita of Charlotte, NC, grandchildren Erin Mitchell Williams and husband Andy of Concord, NC and Hunter Neil Mitchell and wife Kimberly of McConnells, SC and two great grandchildren Ryder and Catherine Williams, step grandchildren Brean and Emery Olsen of Massachusetts, step great grandchildren Isabella Olsen-Mann and Stella Mitford of Massachusetts, and numerous nieces and nephews. A celebration of her extraordinary life will be held at Covenant Presbyterian Church chapel at 1000 E. Morehead St. in Charlotte on Monday, 6 May 2019, at 10 am. Following that, a reception will be held at Sharon Towers, 5100 Sharon Rd. in the Harris Center room from noon to 3 pm. Instead of flowers donations may be made in her honor to the Sharon Towers Resident Fund or Shepard's Center.