Merdick Mitchell Jr. Obituary (1943 - 2024)

Merdick "Mitch" Mitchell Jr., a proud Veteran, went home to be with the Lord on May 26, 2024. He was born October 8, 1943, to the late Merdick Mitchell Sr, and Carrie (Holt) Mitchell. He graduated from Strong Vincent High School where he excelled in Football and Track and Field. Mitch served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War in the First Cavalry Division. Due to his courageous efforts during combat, he was awarded a Purple Heart. One of his favorite sayings when he was thanked for his service, was, "Proud to Serve." Mitch went on to support his local community, the City of Erie, where he worked for the Tullio Administration as a grant writer. His contributions continued in 1978, when he joined the United States Postal Service (USPS) as a mail carrier. Mitch loved the communities he served and all of the families he saw every day on the lower East Side. As a part of his service at USPS, Mitch became an arbitrator for the Equal Employment Opportunity Department. He counseled employees and advocated for fair and equal treatment. Mitch was later elected President of the Martin Luther King Center, Board of Directors from 1986-1988. After 29 years of service, Mitch retired from the United States Postal Service to spend time with his family and his two favorite passions - cooking and working in his yard. Mitch was a real "foodie" and enjoyed family gatherings and making food for anyone who was ready to have a good time. Mitch's favorite time of the year was July, when he hosted his annual Rib Fest. He took extreme pride in his home. He enjoyed planting flowers, gardening and tending to his favorite fig tree. Mitch loved his family and took every opportunity to talk about them. He is survived by his amazing wife of 25 years, Linda (Abbott) Mitchell; three daughters: Clorinda Fisher (Triangle, Va), Yvette Mitchell (Smyrna, GA), and Carrie (Mike) Guffey (Pittsburgh); and one sister, Inez Mitchell (Erie, PA). Mitch is also survived by 6 beloved grandchildren who will cherish his memory: Shane (Yalon) Venters, Chauncey (Rishawn) Norwood, LaShelle (Jeff) Lipscomb, Lathan Myers, Lola Guffey, and Rocco Guffey. He is also blessed with 6 great grandchildren: Makenzie, Madilyn, Blake, Tre, Jacob, Paityn; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his sisters: Juanita Shields and Merrill Page; and two brothers: Herbert and Jake Mitchell. Family and friends are invited to celebrate Mitch's life at Dusckas Funeral & Cremation Services Harborcreek, 5151 Buffalo Road, Erie, PA 16510 on Monday, June 3, 2024, from 2-4 and 6-8 PM. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at 10 AM by Rev. John Malthaner, Pastor of Saint Luke R.C. Church. Interment will be at Wintergreen Gorge Cemetery where full military honors will be rendered by American Legion Carl Neff Post #571. In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution may be made in Mitch's name to the Vietnam Veterans of America, www.vva.org or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, www.jdrf.org.