Obituary for Liberia RPCV John R. Mitchell



He joined the Peace Corps, which took him to Liberia in West Africa. There he met his wife, Jean, also in the Peace Corps. He had a passion for poetry, writing and film. "He was the literate man," said his friend Prof. Robert Cowgill, an Augsburg colleague. He remembered Mitchell's command of the language, eloquence as a speaker and his capacity for insight into art and people. Mitchell could also nettle people by speaking the uncomfortable truth, Cowgill said. In 1995, Mitchell helped Cowgill open the Oak Street Cinema, a Minneapolis theater that showed classic films. After the show, Mitchell would stand under the marquis and people would gather around to hear his observations about the film.

Obituary for Liberia RPCV John R. Mitchell

Augsburg English Prof. John R. Mitchell, 66

Mitchell, who taught for 36 years at the college, is remembered for his passion for poetry, writing and film.
Laurie Blake, Star Tribune

Last update: August 20, 2006 – 9:39 PM

John Roberts Mitchell, poet, teacher and storyteller, died Thursday at 66 after a career of 36 years at Augsburg College as an English professor.

Six feet tall with thick white hair, Mitchell was friendly and outspoken. A well-known personality at the college, his presence was said to fill a room.

He was born in Decatur, Ala., in 1940, the son of Katie Marvin Thompson and Charles Truitt Mitchell. As a young man, he earned a bachelor's degree from Maryville College in Maryville, Tenn., and a master's degree in English from the University of Tennessee. He joined the Peace Corps, which took him to Liberia in West Africa. There he met his wife, Jean, also in the Peace Corps.

Mitchell began work at Augsburg in 1968 and later took a two-year sabbatical to study film at San Francisco State University.

He had a passion for poetry, writing and film. "He was the literate man," said his friend Prof. Robert Cowgill, an Augsburg colleague. He remembered Mitchell's command of the language, eloquence as a speaker and his capacity for insight into art and people. Mitchell could also nettle people by speaking the uncomfortable truth, Cowgill said.

In 1995, Mitchell helped Cowgill open the Oak Street Cinema, a Minneapolis theater that showed classic films. After the show, Mitchell would stand under the marquis and people would gather around to hear his observations about the film.

As a teacher, Mitchell worked hard in the classroom and gave freely of his time to students after class, listening to them and talking with them for hours, said Ronald Palosaari, a retired professor of American literature at Augsburg. Mitchell could be seen correcting papers late into the night at the Hard Rock Cafe.

As a younger man, he liked to play tennis. And as a teenager, he collected Indian artifacts along the Tennessee River.

He is survived by his wife, Jean; children Judith and Nathan of Minneapolis; and a sister, Kate Cooper of Alabama.

A memorial service will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 8 at Augsburg College.

Laurie Blake • 612-673-1711 • lblake@startribune.com

When this story was posted in September 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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