Michael A Mitchell
9/28/1951 - 4/21/2013
My Dad
My father will not be read about on the news or in the history books. There will be no eulogies from celebrities and no paparazzi sneaking snapshots of those in attendances today. But my father was a great man.
When I think of my father, I think of the middle child of eleven children. A man who lost his brother and father before the age of 25. A man of meager means, but full of heart. A man who struggled between who he was and who he wanted to be and how to get there. He loved greatly and never gave up on anyone. He instilled in me the qualities such as: unconditional love, compassion, integrity, hard work, devotion, humor and security.
My father left a piece of him in everyone he touched. When I look at all of you, I see bits of my father everywhere. I see brothers and sisters with that all too familiar Mitchell snout and huge smile. I see a family bonded together by undying love. When I look at Michael, I see the dreamer. The get rich quick plans like rubbermaid garage door with automatic garage door opener. Dad probably thought of this way back in the 70's when my "precocious" toddler brother "drove" the car through my Grandpa Well's garage door.
When I look at Charlie, I actually see my dad at 34, when I was 11. That big smile, Mitchell nose, beautiful thick hair and twinkle in his eyes when he's up to no good.
When I look at Victoria, I see the stubbornness. Oh, the stubbornness! Even to the end he said "We have to do this MY way." Victoria, use this stubbornness to help you get the things that truly, truly matter in life.
When I look at Matthew, I see the jokester. The desire to lighten up any situation, to elicit an infections smile. The message is that life is too short to take anything, but especially ourselves, too seriously. When I look at Aaron, I see not just the dreamer but the do-er. Before Aaron embarked on his adulthood with the Navy, I could always count on him to get stuff done. The do-er with a dream of great things and the means to get them done.
As each of you say your final good byes to my dad, think of the part of him that he left with you. KNow that even at the end of his journey, he still was a dreamer, eye-twinkler, stubborn, do-er, jokester.
