Robert Leonard Mitchell passed away peacefully on January 17, 2020. Born August 15, 1922 to
Harry Dawson Mitchell Jr and Mary Elizabeth Urban Mitchell in Baltimore, Maryland, Bob was
president of his high school graduating class. He ran track, played hockey, and played golf
which he would do all his life. Bob enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 and was an instructor
at Tyndall Field in Panama City, where he met and married his wife, Jo Ellen. In 1944 and
1945, he flew over Europe with the 392th Bomb Group, completing 31 missions as a gunner
and leaving the service as a Staff Sergeant.
Bob came back to his job with Burroughs Corporation, setting up and repairing all kinds of
bookkeeping and banking machines. He began on simple adding machines and was repairing
mainframe computers and dot-matrix printers near the end of his career.
Bob enjoyed a green thumb, raising plants and flowers of all kinds, both when they lived in The
Cove and at Panama Country Club. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church for over 70 years. He enjoyed dancing to big band music with his wife,
traveling with family, playing bridge, and, above all, playing golf. He was proudest of shooting
his age in his 70's!
Bob was predeceased by his parents, his wife of 65 years, Jo Ellen Vickers Mitchell, his brother
Harry Mitchell III, and his grandson, Michael W. Leonard, Jr. He is survived by his daughters,
Linda Mitchell Morris (Joe) of Newnan, GA and Barbara Mitchell Leonard of Ponte Vedra Beach,
FL. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Carrie Beasley Jones (Craig), Joseph H. Morris III
(Jeanne) and Jeannie Morris Sands (Bennett). Bob leaves behind eight great-grandchildren,
Trey, Clark, William, Olivia, Margaret, Henry, Katherine, and James.
Visitation will be at Wilson Funeral Home, 214 Airport Road, Panama City, on Wednesday,
January 29th from 10am to 12pm followed by a private graveside service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Honor Flight Network or the Wounded
Warrior Project.