Lt. Col. Robert Vernon Mitchell Sr., USAF (Ret)

On July 12,2010 beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather Robert V. Mitchell Sr., of Jaffrey Center was called home to be with Our Lord.
Bob was born in Saugus, MA on May 15, 1922, son of the late Thomas and Hazel (Brown) Mitchell. His family moved to Lynn MA in 1924 where he grew up.
Bob graduated from Lynn Classical High School in 1940; enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942. Prior to that he was an apprentice boiler maker at the Boston Naval Yard. He finished two years at M.I.T. and worked at Danvers State Hospital while waiting to go off to active duty. It was there that he met his wife to be Hilda, in 1942.
From there to Coffeyville, Kansas for Basic Flight School (single engine trainers) He graduated from Flight School at Eagle Pass, TX in May of 1943 as a single engine fighter pilot. From there he went to Garden City, Kansas as a basic flying instructor and married the love of his life, Hilda, on August 23,1943. From there he went to Sherman TX, then on to Sebring Florida for B-17 transition (4 engines). He then went on to Montgomery, Alabama where he checked out in B29s as aircraft commander.
He separated from the service and took a job bush flying for Sky Lodge in Jackman Maine. He went back in to the service at Hanscom Field as a Staff Sgt in basic operations. He re-applied for his commission to go back to active duty as a 1st Lieutenant when Russia blockaded Berlin in 1948, got his commission back and flew 104 missions in the Berlin Airlift in a C-54. In 1954 he was Chief Controller of Radar Operations Center for Southern Germany stationed in Freising.
He was stationed in Minnesota twice, Grandview, MO; went to Command Staff College in Montgomery,Alabama and later on to a remote assignment in Armstrong, Ontario Canada. He ended up at Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod where he commanded a squadron of EC-121s. From there he went to Ohio and on to fly reconnaissance missions over Viet Nam as Squadron Commander flying 94 missions. From there he went to his final assignment in Colorado Springs as Deputy Test Director of AWAGS.

He retired as Lieutenant Colonel in 1974 and moved to New Hampshire in 1975. He and his wife Hilda bought their home in Jaffrey Center. Concerned about trash disposal, he became Jaffreys spokesman at the Southwestern Solid Waste District Meetings. He was a Town Selectman from 1986 to 1989, and was director of NH Resource Recovery Association. He gave many presentations on recycling to students in district schools as a member of the Jaffrey Rindge School District Recycling Committee.
Since retirement he worked very hard on his acreage that he loved so much, and rode his horse Nugget. He was a active in the First Church in Jaffrey Center. He was a Mason also was active as a Gideon. A special moment in his life was when he had the honor of flying President Truman.

He leaves behind his wife of sixty seven year Hilda (Brown ) Mitchell; five children Robert V. Mitchell Jr and his wife Marilyn, Gary E. Mitchell and wife Sue, Jan Schiering and her husband Jim, Dianne Lebsock and husband Allen, Gail Schavrien and husband Randy; twenty one grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and also his brother Harold Mitchell.

In addition to his parents he was predeceased by two brothers, Edward and Donald Mitchell and his sister Erdine Mitchell.

For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to either the First Church of Jaffrey UCC, 14 Laban Ainsworth Way, Jaffrey NH or to the Good Shepherd Activity Fund, 20 Plantation Drive, Jaffrey NH 03452.

Burial with full military honors will be in the Heil-Phillips Cemetery on Fitzwilliam Road, in Jaffrey at 4:00PM.

There will be no calling hours.

Funeral Service will be held on Saturday July 17, 2010 at 2:00PM in the First Church of Jaffrey, Jaffrey Center. Rev Robert Kyte, pastor, will officiate.