Mitch Mohr

June 29, 1923 - June 6, 2017 Mitch Mohr passed away on June 6, 2017, in Long Beach, CA, at the age of 94. Mitch has been described as a legend, icon, leader, and force of nature. He had a great sense of humor, and you knew exactly where you stood with him. But, mostly, he was an amazing husband, father and friend. Mitch was born in Chicago on June 29, 1923 to Rose and Max Mohr. At the age of 8, his family moved to Los Angeles, where they joined seven uncles and their families. The huge Mohr clan was well-known in the Fairfax and Carthay Circle districts where they grew up. He graduated from Fairfax High School in December 1941, just after Pearl Harbor. He immediately volunteered for the Army Air Corps, where he served as an Air Traffic Controller in various pilot-training postings in the United States for the duration of WWII. After the war, he started working as field salesman for a variety of entrepreneurial ventures throughout the western US. In 1956, he married Nancy, started their family, and then moved to San Diego in 1962 to raise their 3 kids. He immediately launched and led Mitchell Mohr Realty, which innovated many new marketing and sales techniques that were copied around the residential realtor community. He also jumped head-first into what became his great hobby and passion: boating and fishing in San Diego and off the Southern California Coast. The Mohrs were active members of the Kona Kai Club (where Mitch served as President of the Kona Kai Anglers), and then later at Southwestern Yacht Club and the Long Beach Yacht Club. In 1982, he learned about the new cellular industry, scheduled to launch in Los Angeles in time for the summer Olympics. Mitch soon launched Celluphone, which became the first cellular agent west of the Mississippi, starting a 34-year relationship with Verizon Wireless and its predecessors. With his wife, Nancy, and later his son Mike, Mitch innovated the wireless "Master Agent" concept in 1985, through which Celluphone contracted with thousands of independent dealers to offer wireless service on behalf of Celluphone and its carriers through offices around the country. In doing so, Mitch and Celluphone not only helped drive the adoption of the mobile phone industry, he helped support tens of thousands of families through Celluphone's thousands of dealers. For his impact in shaping the growth and substance of the wireless industry, Mitch was named to the Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame this past April by the CTA. Mitch spent most of his later years traveling on his boat to British Columbia and along the eastern seaboard with Nancy. His passion for the sea only was surpassed by his love for his family and friends, and his dog Jake. Mitch is survived by his wife Nancy; son Michael (Andrea) Mohr and daughter Marla Mohr; grandchildren Jason and Lexi Mohr; sister-in-law Arlene Quy; nephew Mark (Bonnie) Beck and niece Andee (Jim) Atloff; as well as many other cousins, nieces, nephews. He was preceded in death by his son, Jonathan Alan Mohr, parents Rose and Max Mohr, and sisters Marilyn Beck and Sue Sater. Services were held on Monday, June 12, 2017 at The Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary in Culver City, California. Special thanks to Drs. Richard Wexler and Karen Zoller, and Mitch's caregivers Erwin, Henry, Aaron and Dennis, for taking such good care of him. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Jonathan Alan Mohr Memorial Fund at Colgate University, Director of Planned Giving, Hamilton, NY 13346.