Kathleen Margaret Mitchell

Kathleen Margaret "Kathy" Mitchell, beloved sister, aunt, neighbor, and friend, passed away on September 4, 2025, at the age of 75. Born in Baltimore on April 16, 1950, she was the daughter of Edward J. Mitchell, an aeronautical engineer at Glenn L. Martin Co. (later Martin Marietta), and Marie McNamee Mitchell, a residential realtor, community volunteer, and award-winning floral designer.

Kathy grew up in the Stoneleigh neighborhood of Baltimore County and attended Maryvale Preparatory School from pre-primary through her 1968 graduation. She shone in the Glee Club and Drama programs, interests that blossomed into lifelong passions. She earned her bachelor's degree in biology from Towson State College (now Towson University) in 1975 and studied voice and piano at the Peabody Institute, developing the rich soprano voice that graced countless weddings, funerals, and theater productions.

Professionally, Kathy built a distinguished career as a Senior Facilities Project Manager at Citicorp and later at Johns Hopkins University, where she oversaw complex construction, renovation, and relocation projects. A meticulous planner with a sharp mind, she thrived in the role, drawing on the engineering discipline instilled by her parents. Family members noted that Kathy excelled because she was "smart, logical, and unafraid to tell people what to do"-a natural fit for project management.

Outside of work, Kathy's creativity found expression in Baltimore's vibrant community theater scene as an actress, stage manager, and costume designer. She was the stage manager and costume designer for the Fells Point Theater production of Shot in the Dark. She appeared onstage and was featured in the production of Cabaret with Cockpit in Court. With the Baltimore Vagabond Players, Kathy appeared in Auntie Mame and was featured in Hot L Baltimore and in Noel Coward's Fallen Angels. While the Mitchell family enjoyed the performing arts, Kathy was the one who bravely stepped into the spotlight.

Equally passionate about the natural world, Kathy cultivated a lush backyard garden filled with flowering trees and seasonal blooms. This love of gardening, inherited from her mother, extended into her community as she enlisted neighborhood children to help care for her yard-always with instruction and encouragement from her perch on the deck. Her kitchen, too, bore evidence of her nurturing spirit; her homemade turkey soup, made annually from the Thanksgiving carcass, became legendary among family and friends.

Kathy's life was also marked by deep loyalty-to her Irish heritage, to Baltimore's Colts and Ravens, to her beloved dogs Amber, Clancy, Mac, and Maggie, and most of all to her family and friends. She was a fierce advocate for anyone in need, with a generosity of spirit matched only by her strong opinions and personality.

Kathy's longtime neighbor, Debbie Darr, perhaps captured her best: "Kathy was such a wonderful neighbor… We will also remember her for the spitfire that she was-we always knew where she stood on things."

She is survived by her siblings: Patricia (PJ) Mitchell of Murray Hill, Mary Ellen Huether (Rick) of Lutherville, James Mitchell (Laura) of Phoenix (MD), Nancy Mitchell of Baltimore, and Eileen DiPaula (Mike) of Baltimore, and numerous nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents and her cherished canine companions.

Services will be private and in lieu of flowers, the Mitchell family asks that donations in Kathy's memory be made to: The Baltimore Humane Society, 1101 Nicodemus Road, Reisterstown, MD 21136.