GORDON MITCHELL
1920 – 2017
Gordon Stanley Mitchell, age 96, of Prince Albert, passed away during a nap, on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 at the Birchview Nursing Home in Birch Hills, Saskatchewan. Born Sunday, October 03, 1920, on the Henribourg homestead, he was the only child of the late Stanley and Frieda (Boettcher) Mitchell. As a young man Gordon enlisted with the Air Force, met his life time partner Emilia (Milly) at a dance and they married on September 10, 1944 in Davidson. Upon his discharge from the Air Force, in 1945, they moved to the farm in Henribourg. While working the farm, Gordon was very proud to have been a member of the local ball team. In 1955, Gordon moved the family to Prince Albert and began to build a home in the City. Family was very important to Gordon, and he spent his life working long hard hours at the Co-op Lumber Yard and continued to fill his weekends by working the farm to provide a good life for his family. When Gordon retired in 1976, he and Milly moved to the Spruce Home acreage where they enjoyed his retirement. In the summer, he was found outside on the riding lawn mower, in the garden picking his prized raspberries or trying to catch cabbage moths with his vacuum cleaner, but come fall they found their way to Mesa, Arizona to join his lawn shuffleboard friends. As the years crept up on him, they continued to travel as much as possible and enjoyed making new friends while making several casino bus trips within Canada and the US. Always teasing, Gordon was known by most for his sense of humour and quick wit which he never lost even during his last days. Being an avid sports fan, Gordon could be seen sitting at the Raider games with a radio to his ear so he could make sure that the commentators were doing their job properly. Gordon was a devoted Grandpa and spent many hours with his grandchildren sharing his knowledge, chores, stories, and any sweets he could convince Grandma to make. Predeceased by his wife of seventy years Emilia “Milly” (Lipinski) Mitchell on February 03, 2015, Gordon’s life changed drastically, from which he never did fully recover. He was also predeceased by: his father-and-mother-in-law Anton and Mary Lipinski; his brothers-in-law George Bessey and Leo Thurmier; his sister-in-law Joan Bessey. Gordon leaves to cherish his memory: three loving children Dale (Nettie); Rick (Lisa Denis); Audrey (Greg) Klama; six grandchildren: Trevor (Alexis) and Trent (Shannon) Mitchell; Mikka and Kesha Mitchell; Chris (Tara Phaneuf) and Kevin (Kristin Hewison) Klama; nine great-grandchildren Noah, Calli, Ethan and Severin Mitchell; Drew Mitchell; Jaxson and MacKenzie Klama; Aidan and Aliyah Klama; his sister-in-law Doris Thurmier; his brothers-in-law Edward (Elenor) and Joseph (Helen) Lipiniski; many nieces and nephews. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dad’s special friend Wilson, who could always make him smile, and the exceptional staff of Birchview for the compassion, special meals and friendship that was expressed during his last two years. At Gordon’s request, there will not be a memorial service, but he will be reunited with the love of his life during a graveside internment service on Thursday, April 06, 2017 in the Garden of the Last Supper, Prince Albert Memorial Gardens. In lieu of other tributes, donations in memory of Gordon may be made to Birchview Nursing Home, 3 Wilson Street Birch Hills, Saskatchewan S0J 1B0. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care River Park Funeral Home in Prince Albert, SK, 306-764-2727, Colette Harnett, Funeral Director.