MARGARET HENDERSON MITCHELL

Margaret Henderson Mitchell, a long term resident of Delray Dunes in Boynton Beach, FL, passed away peacefully at Westminster Place in Evanston, IL on Oct. 14, 2011. Born on June 21, 1912, for over 50 years she had experienced a wonderful life with her beloved husband, William "Bill" Fish Mitchell until his death in 1995. She also was predeceased by Joyce M. Melissinos, her elder daughter, this past May, 2011. Margaret is survived by her younger daughter Margaret "Pat" Hastings (Robert); son-in-law Adrian C. Melissinos; and grandchildren William H. Hastings, Margo H. Georgiadis (Pantelis), C. John M. Melissinos (Candice Culnane) and Andrew W. A. Melissinos. She adored and took great interest and pride in her eight great-grandchildren Mari, Andreas and Antony Georgiadis; Will, Bobby and Heather Hastings; and Chesney and Logan Melissinos. She was close also to nephew James Henderson and his son Marcus. Margaret was the oldest of three children of James E. and Mary Yarnall Henderson and outlived by many years her brothers James and William. She spoke with great animation about being raised until in high school on the Cherokee Indian Reservation near Asheville, NC, where her father was an administrator and her mother a teacher. It was in high school she met her future husband, and she and Bill Mitchell were married shortly after she graduated from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro and he from Georgia Tech. Bill became a highly successful engineer and held senior management positions with Pennsalt Chemical Corporation and later General Mills, where he was responsible for all of their chemical and international businesses. After taking early retirement from General Mills he reactivated his personal consulting company, Mitco. He was so helpful to FSI International he was sent around the world, accompanied by Margaret, to look for new technology. It was one of many international and other trips they shared over the years. After starting their life together in Canton, NC, Bill and Margaret lived in Philadelphia, PA; Wyandot, MI; Kankakee, IL and Minneapolis, MN before vacationing in Florida and then building what became their retirement and longest permanent home in the Delray Beach area. Margaret devoted her life to her husband and their two daughters. Throughout Bill's career she ran the household and worked hard to ensure the success of the family. She had particular interests in American history and art and served for many years as a docent at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. She took particular pride in receiving recognition as an active member for over 75 years of the Daughters of the American Revolution. During their years in Florida Margaret and Bill made many dear friends among the members of Delray Dunes Country Club and the First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach. Telling stories of her life at her 99th birthday party and vibrant until a few weeks before the end of her life, Margaret was a true matriarch and example for her family. Memorial services are being planned at Westminster Place in Evanston, IL and her home church, the First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach, FL, where her ashes will be placed alongside Bill's. Memorials can be sent to the William F. Mitchell Memorial Scholarship Fund, Georgia Tech Foundation, Inc., 760 Spring Street NW, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA 30308, or First Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden Fund, 33 Gleason St., Delray Beach, FL 33483.