Julian McDonald Mitchell, 69, of Leesburg, Fla., passed away at home on Dec. 1, surrounded by family and friends. He was born on July 22, 1943, in the Commonwealth of Dominica, the son of the late Euna and Desire Mitchell. He migrated to the island of St. Croix in 1963. He married Ann Mitchell nee Michael also of the Commonwealth of Dominica on Nov. 24, 1963, on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The union produced two sons: Larry McDonald Mitchell and Glen McDowell Mitchell. He attended Bluewater Bible College in St. Thomas, USVI, and earned an Associate of Arts degree.
He retired from the HOVENSA oil refinery (previously Hess Oil Refinery) on St. Croix, where he served in several capacities, to include process operator and process oil supervisor (of Area Three) at the refinery. He also served as an instructor at the Hess Vocational School. He worked at HOVENSA for approximately 27 years. He also worked for the Virgin Islands Telephone Company (VITELCO) on the island of St. Thomas for a number of years.
He became involved with music at an early age and played trumpet in the Dominica Government Band. He was the youngest member of the band. His involvement in music continued throughout his adult life as he served as choir director and/or song leader at most of the churches at which he held membership. He leaves to mourn his wife, Ann Mitchell; sons: Larry(Terue) and Glen Mitchell; grandchildren: Talliah, Touren and Tevin Mitchell; brothers: Clayton(Eunice) [USVI], Martin(Ann Marie) [Georgia], and Valence(Marcia)Mitchell [Calif.]; sister, Camelia Mitchell Cornelius(Jim) [Canada]; aunt, Edith Louis; nephews: Kelvin (Albertha) [Minn.] and Kenneth (Pam) Guye [USVI], Wade (Jacqueline), Cameron, Kedroy, Delson, Isaac and Christopher Mitchell [Georgia]; Steve and Kirk Cornelius [Canada]; nieces: Kathy, Karen, Karla Guye and Shirley Bruney, Mellissa, Glenicia, Nadine and Taylor Mitchell, and Karen Forbes; brothers-in-law: Gabriel (Cyrillia) [Canada], Luke Arlene) [Dominica], Anthony, David, Gerard and Isaac (Jennifer) Michael [England]; sisters-in-law: Martha (Thomas) Raphael (St. Croix), Geraldine (Phillip) Jno Baptiste and Catherine (Daniel) Ormond (Dominica), Noreen Michael (St. Thomas); Dora Henry (Guadeloupe) and Ruth James (Ohio); first cousins: Elise, Joan and Bernadine Charles, Nelson Stephen, Levia and Tony Inglis, Vincent Peltier, Fitzroy “Free” Joseph, Ivan, Andrew, Phillip, Davidson Louis and Sharon Cunningham; special cousin, Eunice (Norill) Gumbs; best childhood friend, Jonathan Euzebe; and other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.
At the time of his passing, he was an active member of the Grace Bible Baptist Church, Leesburg, Fla. Arrangements are by Beyers Funeral Home, 1123 W. Main St., Leesburgh, FL, 34748; 352-787-4343; Toll free: 800-501-4343.
Funeral services are set for 10 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 10, at Grace Bible Baptist Church, 1703 Lewis Road, Leesburg, FL 34748. Interment will follow immediately at Lone Oak Cemetery, 306 Thomas Ave., Leesburg, 34748.
