Carol "Cj" Mitchell

Cj was never one to sit still, back down, or suffer fools. Born in Canandaigua, New York, she held dual citizenship in the U.S. and Canada, with deep family roots on Campobello Island, New Brunswick. She spent most of her life in Vermont, earning a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Vermont and a paralegal degree from Woodbury College. She worked in the probate courts of Massachusetts, but her entrepreneurial streak led her to start two businesses: Lid Leash and Campfire Spices. She also earned a WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) certification and spent several years in the wine industry.

After an almost year-long battle with cancer, Cj passed away on February 18, 2025, surrounded by love and song, leaving behind a legacy of adventure, resilience, and a well-earned reputation for never putting up with nonsense.

Cj loved the outdoors, whether riding her Ducati, skiing, rowing, boating, rock climbing, playing ice hockey, or cycling-most notably finishing the AIDS/LifeCycle ride in her early 50s. A lifelong Girl Scout, camper, and nature enthusiast, she spent the summers of her youth at various camps in the Finger Lakes, where she honed survival skills that came in handy when road-tripping across the country six times with her wife Jennifer in the van she converted herself. Her love for the outdoors wasn't just a hobby-it was how she made a living in her 20s. She worked at ski resorts in Stowe, VT, and in the warmer months, she guided cyclists for the Vermont Bicycle Touring Company.

Her family's maritime history undoubtedly inspired her deep connection to the ocean and the outdoors. Her great-grandfather was a lighthouse keeper at the Head Harbour Lightstation, helping ships in the area navigate the famous Bay of Fundy fog, high tides, and the treacherous rocks surrounding Campobello Island. That same adventurous spirit lived on in Cj, who always found her way back to the water. She moved to Los Angeles, CA, with Jennifer 17 years ago.

Cj's activism ran deep. In 1983, she helped organize the first Pride in Burlington, Vermont-back when doing so meant taking real risks. A passionate advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness, lesbian history, and women's equality, she didn't need a megaphone to make her voice heard-just a well-timed cutting remark that got the point across.

She also had an artist's eye and a deep appreciation for the beauty of the world around her. She found solace and joy in plein air watercolor painting, capturing landscapes with the same adventurous spirit that defined her life. She would lose herself, letting the colors and brushstrokes reflect the moment. Her paintings weren't about perfection-they were about presence, about seeing and feeling a place deeply.

Her love of animals was undeniable. She spent years showing and training German Shepherds, appreciating their intelligence and discipline. Later in life, she turned her attention to rescuing senior dogs. But long before the dogs, there were horses. She deeply respected their power, loyalty, and stubbornness-perhaps because she saw a little of herself in them. And despite years of loudly declaring she was not a cat person, she eventually lost that battle to Jennifer, who filled their home with feline overlords. By the end, she was entirely devoted to Nuggie, Lucy, Tommie, Butters, and Tom-Tom, who she grudgingly admitted were "fine, I guess."

A connoisseur of grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, and ice cream, Cj was known for her dry wit and perfectly timed side-eye. She is survived by her wife Jennifer, her stepdaughter Bronwen, her sister-in-law Maureen, her brother-in-law Tommy, her nephews Ryan and Cade, her niece Amelia, and her chosen family, Danny and Willie, Jason, and Sue. She also leaves behind an extended family on Campobello Island and many cherished friends across the country. We are grateful to all who supported her at the end of life, especially Pallas Care, Constellations of Care, and her caregiver, Ty.

Cj lived by her own rules and had no patience for mediocrity. She was tough, hilarious, and deeply loved. She will be missed beyond words-though she'd probably roll her eyes at all this fuss.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Roosevelt Campobello International Park at www.rooseveltcampobello.org OR Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles at www.girlscoutsla.org in memory of Carol "Cj" Mitchell.