Robert E. Mitchell

Robert Earl Mitchell, 92, died November 13th, 2020, at his home in Galesburg.  Known to his friends as Bob, he was born August 13th, 1928 in Cincinnati, OH, to Peter and Genevieve Mitchell, the third of their four children.  In 1945, at the age of 17, he joined the Army Air Corps, rising to become, in his day, the youngest Master Sergeant in the service.  He served as an aircraft mechanic and crew chief on large bombers, and finally served a tour as an Air Force recruiter, which is what brought him to Galesburg.  On November 27, 1947, Thanksgiving Day, he married Mary Louise Boberg, and together they had six children.  She died in 1984, following their divorce.  After retiring from the Air Force in 1966, he remained in Galesburg, working in administrative positions for several years before returning to his great passion, aircraft maintenance, eventually serving as the Service Manager at the Galesburg Municipal Airport.  Launching his new career in sales, he moved with his family to the suburbs of Memphis, TN in 1978.  In 1982, he married Beverly DuRall.  His career took them to Orlando, FL, where he eventually retired.  He was a lifelong ham radio operator, as W9GXT.  He bought a sailboat, and several times they circumnavigated the Florida peninsula, once sailing as far as the Bahamas.  Following his retirement, they returned to Galesburg to be near Beverly’s family.  After selling the sailboat, they bought an RV, and travelled extensively around the country.  Beverly died in 2010.  He loved to remain active, working out, riding his bicycle, and volunteering in the gift shop at OSF St. Mary Medical Center, into his 90s.  He is survived by five children, Ken (Angel) Mitchell, of San Antonio, TX, Dennis Mitchell of Omaha, NE, Paul (Karie) Mitchell, of Plano, TX, Margaret (Rae Bauer) Mitchell of Pflugerville, TX, and Craig Mitchell, of Orlando, FL; also nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; as well as two step-children, Elaine Ekis Sturgeon (Mike), Stephanie Ekiss Johnson (Mike), his step-daughter-in-law, Karen Ekiss, seven step-grandchildren and 15 step-great-grandchildren, also by his brother Peter (Melanie) Mitchell of Tallahassee, FL.   Bob was preceded in death by his wife Mary, his wife Beverly, his daughter Mary Beth, his stepsons Kevin and Keith Ekiss, his daughter-in-law Marianne (Dennis), his parents, and his sisters Jean and Ruth.  Cremation rites have been accorded.  Arrangements have been entrusted to Watson Thomas Funeral Home and Crematory, Galesburg.