Ross Mitchell

Ross L. Mitchell Ross L. Mitchell was born in 1915 in Baltimore, MD. He died peacefully on September 24, 2005 at home with his family. He is survived by his loving wife Betty T. (Teddy) Mitchell of Lakewood; daughter Lynne Baab (Dave) of Seattle; son Mark Mitchell (Michele) of Portland; grandchildren Jonathan and Mike Baab, and Ross and Marisa Mitchell; and brother, Robert Mitchell of Baltimore. As a young man during The Depression, Ross worked to help support his family, while going to night school and acquiring his pilot's license. He also attended Johns Hopkins University. At the beginning of World War II, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and was soon called into the Army Air Corps because of his flying ability. He served in North Africa flying numerous planes including the famous P-51 Mustang in campaigns over Sicily and Italy. Because of illness, he returned to the U.S. as a seasoned war veteran and was assigned to a troupe with Hollywood stars selling war bonds. Later, he taught in Air Corps flying schools until the war's end. After a time of civilian employment, he was recalled to active military duty in 1947. Throughout the rest of his Air Force career, he flew many types of planes in a variety of places, including flying VIPs in and out of Washington, D.C. He also served in the Diplomatic Corps in Bulgaria and Turkey and in military intelligence. He had a tour of duty in Athens, Greece, and two tours in Wiesbaden, Germany, as well as multiple stateside assignments. He retired from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia as a full colonel in 1966. He met his wife Teddy in Washington, D.C. and they were married in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1949. He and his family settled in Lakewood in 1967, where he worked for the National Bank of Washington. After his second retirement, he was active in volunteer programs. He initiated the AARP program of tax assistance for seniors. He was also a 35-year counselor with SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) assisting fledgling businesses. Ross was very involved at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, where his wife Teddy is still a very active member. They traveled extensively until his health failed because of Parkinson's. He loved his family dearly and was an outstanding husband, father, grandfather, and brother. He was a true gentleman with a fine sense of humor and a repertoire of unforgettable stories. Services will be held at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 10630 Gravelly Lake Dr. in Lakewood on Friday, September 30, at 3:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to St. Mary's Episcopal Church.