November 26, 1939 – June 1, 2016 James ” Jim” Edward Mitchell, 76, of Gainesville, passed away June 1, 2016 at his residence. He was born to Frank Mitchell and Helen (Brown) Mitchell on November 26, 1939 in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. He married Linda Louise Fairman on April 26, 1974 in Houston, Texas. He was married for 42 years.
Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 4th at Meador Funeral Home Chapel with Ms. Betty Knott officiating. Interment will follow at Valley View Cemetery in Valley View. A visitation will be held at the funeral home Friday, June 3rd from 6 to 8 p.m..
He was a member of Irving Bible Church. He was known as “Jim”, “Pawpaw the Great” or “Frog Father”. He graduated from high school May 24, 1957 from the Great Bend High School in Great Bend, Kansas and had two years of college. He earned many awards as a Boy Scout.
Mr. Mitchell’s accomplishments were: served in US Navy and was Honorably Discharged February 10, 1963; He was a member of the first underwater demolition crew called “Frogmen”; Honorary Member of the American Legion and was a pilot. He had multiple awards for car racing and ice capades. He loved traveling and had traveled to 39 countries and all over the United States with his loving wife by his side. He loved scuba diving, which was an amazing accomplishment for him along with being on the underwater demolition crew as he was afraid of water but wasn’t going to let that hinder him from enjoying life.
Mr. Mitchell owned several businesses: Programmed Interiors, Inc. (Designed Supermarkets); Jim Mitchell and Associates; Mitchell Design Group, Inc. (Designed Convenient Stores and Truck Stops); He worked for Exxon, Texaco, Sinclair (to design and remodel their stores); Douglas Distributing (Sheetz and Buckee’s). When truck stops started adding fast food restaurants it was Mr. Mitchell’s design.
Survivors include his daughters, Michele Pearce of Thackerville, Oklahoma and Robin Wilson of Clear Lake City, Texas; grandchildren, David Pearce, III and wife Brenda of Thackerville, Meagan Pearce of Gainesville, Tyler Johnson of Houston, Cameron Mitchell of Thackerville and Faith Huber of Whitesboro; 6 great grandchildren and cousin Jeanie Campbell of Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Helen Mitchell, two brothers, John Mitchell and Frank Mitchell and a great grandchild Jayden Huber.
To sign the online registry, go to www.meadorfuneralhomes.com.