Grant Mitchell

1917 - 2015

Grant Mitchell, longtime resident of Lodi, passed away in Orangevale, CA, on March 12, 2015, at the age of 97. His wife, Angelica, preceded him in death in 2012. He is survived by his daughters, Holly Barrick of Gold River, CA, and Mimi Kover of El Dorado Hills, CA, his two sisters, Donna Heckenlaible and Marylee Levey, as well as three grandchildren (Olivia Barrick, Peter Barrick, and Grayson Kover) and one great-grandchild (Isabella Barrick). He also leaves two nieces and a nephew (Sandra Mitchell, Sally Sundsten, and Barry Mitchell).
Grant was born on November 6, 1917, in Wing, North Dakota, a place he lovingly referred to as "The Old Country." The family moved to Lodi in 1920 where he attended local schools including Lodi High School where he played in the band and on the championship football team before graduating in 1936. He also earned the rank of Eagle Scout. In 1941, he graduated from UC Berkley with a degree in Forestry. During WWII, Grant was an Army Air Corps weather forecaster stationed at McClellan Air Field, and while stationed there, he began corresponding with Angelica Fanos, also from Lodi. They were married in 1944 at Bethel Open Bible Church and celebrated 68 years of marriage before she passed.
After the war, Grant spent most of his career working with his twin brother, Woodrow, for their dad, Boyd, at what became Mitchell & Koenig, the Chrysler/Plymouth dealership on Lockeford St. in Lodi. Later, he worked at Pacific Welding Supply and as the church administrator at Bethel Open Bible Church where he and Angie had been members for most of their lives. In retirement, they moved to Murphys for a few years, but then spent the next two decades in Gold River near their daughters. It was here that he and Angie became members of Redeemer Covenant Church in Orangevale.
Always active outside of work, Grant was Sunday School Superintendent at Bethel Church for 25 years, a member of the Youth for Christ board, the candy chairperson for the Camp Fire Girls for which he was dubbed "Candy Daddy," involved in Christian Business Men's Committee, the PTA, and on the high school reunion committee for his class. At Redeemer Covenant, he could be found painting, ushering, raking leaves, and involved in the men's breakfast on Saturday.
Almost five years ago, he and Angie moved to Almond Avenue Residence Club in Orangevale where his favorite daily activity included exercising, mostly from a chair, to Rock and Roll music. The AARC staff lovingly cared for both of them as did Bristol Hospice during the last few weeks of each of their lives.
A Celebration of Grant's Life will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2015, at 1:00 pm at First Covenant Church of Sacramento, 10933 Progress Court, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670. If you desire, donations can be made to Redeemer Covenant Church, 6800 Main Ave., Orangevale, CA 95662, or to a charity of your choice.