Michael Stephen Mitchell

Michael Stephen Mitchell

July 23, 1947 - July 23, 2025

Michael Stephen Mitchell died July 23, 2025 at Emerald Springs Senior Living in Yuma, AZ after a long battle with cancer. He lived a rich, fun, and productive life full of

personal adventures, and was dedicated to his profession, families, friendships, and service to others. Michael was born July 23, 1947 at Pomona Valley Hospital in Pomona, CA to parents Morris Hilton Mitchell and Opal Easter Mitchell, (nee Mobley). He lived his entire childhood in Glendora, CA. At 14 years he began his hobby and avocation as an Amateur(HAM) Radio Operator which continued throughout his life. At age 16 he was a student accounting intern at Phillips Land Development, the company that developed Lake Havasu, where his assignment was to track, record, and account for the movement of London Bridge, piece by piece, from London to Lake Havasu. At age 17 upon graduating from Glendora High School he joined the United States Navy. After basic training and tech school, he spent the next three years in Naples, Italy maintaining electronic surveillance equipment which monitored ship movement through the Mediterranean Sea.

After receiving his Honorable Discharge in1968, Mike attended college at Cal Poly Pomona and Long Beach State University where he received his BS in accounting and passed his State CPA exams. While attending college full time he also worked full time

as an electronics technician at General Dynamics and Hughes Aircraft. He married Page Wisely in December 1970. Two daughters were born to this marriage, Brooke Michalina and Cortney Twila. He and Page divorced in 1982. Michael's early career was in corporate accounting and in the late 1980s Mike was Comptroller for a Trane Corporation Division in the City of Industry, CA.

In the late 1980s Mike heard a little-known Jimmy Buffett band at the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach and instantly became a Jimmy Buffett "Parrot Head". The next year he and his future wife, Dianna Lee, rented a tour bus and followed the Jimmy Buffett

tour across the United States. In 1990 he and Dianna were married and a son, Mathew Littleton Lee-Mitchell was born in 1992. Michael continued to advance in his CPA profession becoming President of Michael S. Mitchell Tax Service within the Inland Empire Tax Group located in the City of Rancho Cucamonga. He and Dianna divorced in 2002. He continued to grow his Tax Service Accounting business until 2010 when he

sold his business and at age 63 and retired. While living and working in Rancho Cucamonga Michael had many volunteer and civic activities and positions. He was a member and president of Rancho Cucamonga Chamber of Commerce, a member and president of the Rancho Cucamonga Rotary Club, and a representative and coordinator of San Bernardino YMCA Youth in Government Program taking high school students to

Sacramento each year to observe and participate in California State Government. Mike continued his Ham radio activities as an active member and participant in the National Amateur Radio Emergency Service organization. He was a member of the Newport Beach Yacht Club and for several years enjoyed sailing to Catalina Island and up and down the California coast. Another life long enthusiastic interest for Mike was his love for the Los Angeles Dodgers from the day they came to Los Angeles in 1958 until he watched his last game two days before he passed.

Mike loved the country of Mexico, it's history, culture, language, and mostly its people. He was a fluent Spanish speaker and in 2010 he retired to live in Mexico. He lived there for more than 10 years, living in several cities mostly along the Mexican-USA border. He had many adventures and experiences, including owning a bar and saloon, a Mexican marriage and divorce, member and president of Mexicali Rotary Club and traveling throughout Mexico following his beloved soccer team, the Guadalajara Chivas.

Mike's love of work and accounting lured him back into active accounting work and in 2014 he joined the staff of Terkelsen, Smith, Tyree, and Snell in Yuma, AZ, which later merged with Frost PLLC Certified Public Accounting. Besides his normal CPA duties, he specialized in large estate tax planning and accounting. He retired from Frost in June 2025 as a Senior Manager. This was his most satisfying and fun CPA life

experience working with a great staff, bosses, and customers.

Mike joined the Yuma Rotary Club in 2014, and truly lived the motto, Service Above Self. In 2018-2019 he served as President of the Yuma Rotary Club, where he

encouraged Rotarians to raise funds to donate school supplies to the youth of Mexico. Mike was regularly seen working at the Walt Kammann Sausage Fry and the Yuma County Fair Booth. Mike was known for his sense of humor and commitment living the Four Way Test.

He is proceeded in death by his parents and his brother, Jeffery Lynn Mitchell and leaves his two daughters, Cortney and Brooke; son, Matt; eight grandchildren, and older brother, Dwight Glendel Mitchell.

Open casket funeral will be at Yuma Mortuary on August 9, 2025 at 10:00 am at Yuma Mortuary, 775 S. 5th Avenue in Yuma, AZ. A military burial will be held at Riverside National Cemetery in California on August 20, 2025 at 10:15 am.

In honor of Mike's life consider a donation to his favorite charity, school supplies for Mexican children. Send donations to the Yuma Rotary Club international charity fund at Yuma Rotary Club, P.O. Box 1739, Yuma, AZ 85366.

Please sign the guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/yumasun