MITCHELL, Avard M., M.D. 91 of Wellesley died at home on Feb. 23, 2011 from complications of a stroke. He had been in declining health for a few years from Parkinson's Disease. He was the son of the late Ernest and the late Marye (McNaughton) Mitchell. Born in Vandergrift, PA, and raised in Canton, OH, he graduated from Mount Union College in Alliance, OH and received a Masters and Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from Purdue University. In the Army (1944-46) he was assigned to the Manhattan Project in NYC, following which he was able to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor at Harvard Medical School. After internship, residency and a year as a Fellow in Cardiology with Dr. Samuel Levine at the then Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, he did his final year of residency at Bellevue Hospital in NYC.
In 1954 he and his wife Marge settled in Wellesley, where he practiced medicine as an internist and family doctor for 36 years. He loved being a doctor and devoted his time, energy and intelligence to his patients who responded with great affection and appreciation. Mitch loved his family, his wife Marjorie (Clock) of 57 years and his children, Susan Lewis and her 3 sons, Andrew, Christopher Woodward and Joshua Park of Norfolk, MA, Mark and his friend Christine Evans of Myrtle Beach, SC, Eric (died 1998) and his longtime friend Donna Lydon of Hingham, Deane of Wayland and his life partner Kim Knox of Weston, and David of Wellesley. He is also survived by his brother Dean Mitchell of Phoenix, AZ, his niece Donna Hendrix of Flagstaff, AZ and his other niece and nephews. He enjoyed fishing, jogging, playing the piano (by ear) and reading, and after retiring, travelling, long walks and auditing classes at Wellesley College (especially Shakespeare).
A Memorial Service is planned for Saturday, March 12 at the Wellesley Village Congregational Church, 2 Central St., Wellesley Sq., at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers we would suggest a donation to Doctors Without Borders, 333 7th Ave., 2nd Fl., NY, NY 10001.