Robert J. Mitchell
Robert J. “Bob” Mitchell, 80, of Carnegie, formerly of Washington, died Sunday, March 13, 2022, following a brief, courageous battle with cancer.
He was born September 29, 1941, in Washington, a son of the late John E. Mitchell of Patton, and Dorothy Fontenoy Mitchell of Clearfield.
Bob grew up in Tylerdale, and graduated in 1959 from Washington High School. He went on to attend Penn Technical Institute for electronics repair.
Mr. Mitchell was a veteran of the United States Army, having served during the Vietnam War as a radio operator with Company C 864th Engineer Battalion. He served from February 27, 1964, until his honorable discharge February 18, 1966, with the rank of specialist (E-4). For his service, he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and Rifle Sharpshooter Badge.
Early in his career, he worked as a transformer tester for McGraw Edison. He later retired, in 2002, from Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel, in Weirton, W.Va.
Utilizing his training in electronics repair, Robert spent his whole life disassembling and fixing things. In the early 1970s, Bob built the family’s color television from a “Heath Kit,” soldering every circuit board himself. His family watched the Pittsburgh Steelers win Super Bowls on that same television. He also fixed all his cars until they became so computerized, and changed his own oil too many times to count.
Funded by his newspaper route, he enjoyed black and white photography as a kid, and processed and printed these photos in his homemade darkroom on Tyler Avenue.
Bob enjoyed family fishing vacations to Prince Gallitzin State Park in the 1980s, which always included lots of early morning wake up calls to try and catch that prize Muskie.
In retirement, Bob spent countless hours at the Cameron Wellness Center, shooting hoops and shooting the breeze, with many good friends he had there. Sadly, the pandemic robbed him of this, and he missed connecting with his crew there very much.
He will be greatly missed by King, his beloved dog, whom he called his best friend.
Surviving are his companion and partner, Jane Malmgren; his son, Jim (Tricia) Mitchell of Foxboro, Mass.; his daughter, Monica Mitchell Day; four grandchildren, Mary Martha Mitchell and Caleb James Mitchell; a niece, Cherie Lytle Moyer; a nephew, Dennis Lytle II; five grandnieces and nephews; and one brand new great-grandniece.
Deceased is a sister, Joan Mitchell Lytle.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 7:30 p.m., the time of service, Friday, March 18, in William G. Neal Funeral Homes, Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington.
Burial in the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies will occur at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306.
A guest book is available at www.NealFuneralHome.com.