Wendy LaBarr Mitchell

Wendy LaBarr Mitchell peacefully passed into the presence of her Lord and Savior on Thursday, October 31, 2024 surrounded by her family at her home in Marietta, GA at the age of 69.

Remaining to cherish her memory is her loving husband, Ken Mitchell, who has faithfully taken care of her as she declined in health over the past few years, and for all 39 years of their marriage; her daughter, Anna Mitchell Groves & Michael Groves; her son James (Jimmy) Mitchell & Allison Mitchell, her first grandson Liam Mitchell; Her brother, James (Jim) LaBarr & Karen Opp LaBarr, Christine LaBarr Harmon & William Harmon and their children, Charlie Ann Harmon, James Harmon and Harrison Harmon; David LaBarr; her sister, Barbara LaBarr McKay & Charles McKay. She is also survived by Edward Schwartz' five daughters and one granddaughter.

She is predeceased by her mother, Jean LaBarr Schwartz, her father Robert Ford LaBarr and her son Samuel Robert Mitchell. She is also predeceased by her mother's second husband, Edward Schwartz.

Wendy was born into a loving family that prioritized faith, family, fun, music and service. She consistently demonstrated these characteristics throughout her life. Her childhood was full of joy and laughter spending time with Jim and Barb. Her mother's extended family had regular reunions all over the country which were a delightful time of eating, singing, playing and worshipping. She graduated from Vanderbilt University and then received her D.D.S. from the Ohio State University Dental School. She moved to Atlanta after graduation, where she met her husband Ken Mitchell and opened her own dental practice. After the birth of Anna and Jimmy, she sold the practice and then continued her career at several local offices.

She ended her dental career with much celebration in January of 2020, impressively missing the COVID shutdown by just a few weeks. She had plans of teaching dentistry, attending jewelry classes, traveling and spending time with her husband, which were derailed by first the COVID shutdowns, then by helping to take care of her mother, then by her own health struggles. Despite the changes in plans, she remained patient, upbeat and loving with a joy that was impossible to keep down.

She loved dentistry for many reasons, the chief of which was her heart for helping others. She loved volunteering her time to bring dental care to those who needed it. She worked with GMOM (Georgia Mission of Mercy), the Ben Massell Clinic, and various traveling dental clinics to bring free dental care to people all over Georgia. Then, she expanded her ministry by traveling with Mission to the World (MTW) to bring dental care to the people of Trinidad. Ken jumped into this ministry as well, donning scrubs and learning to be her dental assistant while she traveled.

She was an active member in every church she attended, and she and Ken hosted small groups regularly. She truly embodied the love of God in her interactions with her patients, co-workers, many friends and especially her beloved family. Wendy loved to laugh, play and watch tennis, walk, spend time with family, and play card games. Even when she faced the uncertainty of mental and physical decline, she did so with love and concern, not for herself, but for others. Even until her last days, her face would light up when she saw her loved ones and all her caretakers commented on her beautiful smile.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Mission to the World or to Leading the Way Ministries.