GLOUCESTER: Francis R. “Buddy” Mitchell, 87, died at his home early Friday morning, February 3, 2012. He was the husband of Mary J. (Rocha) Mitchell.
Born in Gloucester on May 23, 1924, he was the son of the late Joseph and Carrie Mitchell. He was a lifelong resident of Gloucester and graduate of the Gloucester High School class of 1942.
Following graduation, he began working as a fish cutter on the Gloucester waterfront. A World War II veteran, he entered the U.S. Army in May of 1943. After completing his training at Camp Stewart, GA and Camp Pickett, VA, he served for twenty-two months in the European Theater with the 791st AAA, Automatic Weapons Battalion and took part in the campaign of Northern France. After the war ended, he was stationed in France until his discharge in March of 1946.
Upon his return, Buddy began working at the former Birdseye Frozen Food Company, where he stayed until the plant closed. For the next twenty years, he was the custodian at the Beeman School until his retirement. Not one to sit idle, he then began working part-time as a delivery person for Chisholm and Hunt Printers.
He was a longtime member of both the Gloucester Fraternity Club and the Amvets Post #32 of Gloucester.
A loving husband and father, he was also very devoted to his extended family and had a special relationship with them, especially the Foote children, with whom he shared a house. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
In addition to his wife of sixty-four years, he is survived by a sister and brother-in-law, Carolyn and Gus Foote; sisters-in-law, Mildred, wife of James Ball, Irene Lowe, Mae Rocha and Katie Mitchell; brother-in-law, Manny, husband of Judy Rocha; and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. He was also predeceased by his son, Francis R. “Chuck” Mitchell, Jr. and brother, Joseph Mitchell.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday morning in the Our Lady of Good Voyage Church at 9:30 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Sunday in the Pike-Grondin Funeral Home, 61 Middle Street, Gloucester from 1 – 3 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in his memory to the Francis “Chuck” Mitchell Scholarship Fund, c/o Beeman School, Cherry St., Gloucester, MA 01930 or Hospice of the North Shore, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923. Interment will be held in the Calvary Cemetery.