Richard Mitchell

Richard “Mitch” Mitchell passed away on April 1, 2017 at the Idaho Veterans Home in Boise.

Mitch was born on Lone Star Rd. in Nampa, ID to Bill and Beulah Mitchell on June 18, 1932, in his grandparents, Bill and Cora Welker’s, house. He attended schools in Nampa, and Triangle Lake, OR and graduated from Junction City High School, OR in Dec. 1950. Mitch joined the Navy Reserves in 1951 and was activated in Jan. 1952. He served on the Golden El Dorado and was honorably discharged in Jan. 1954.

Mitch married Norma Lee Guentz (Nampa) on Feb. 7, 1954 and they began traveling with Western Electric installing dial systems throughout the West. He started his family in 1955 with the birth of sons Randy in Jan. and Rod, eleven months later. Mitch’s first business was a mobile home park in Chubbuck, ID where son Rusty (1960) was born. He later worked for Mountain Bell in Blackfoot, ID where son Kelly (1966) was born. Mitch and Norma Lee then bought a country mercantile store in Springfield, ID and became a dealer of Watts Plows. Their next adventure was the purchase of Pine Resort at Anderson Ranch Reservoir, managing a café, bar, trailer spaces and cabins while enjoying mountain living. Mitch and Norma Lee then moved to Boise to help their mothers and built their dream home south of Nampa.

Mitch was a 40-year member of the Blackfoot and Nampa Elks Lodge. Mitch loved to snowmobile and spend time at the family cabin in Pine, ID. He enjoyed life and met all of his entrepreneurial goals while having many memorable adventures. He was married to “the best woman God ever created” for 63 years.

Mitch was preceded in death by his parents and son Rod (1987). He is survived by wife Norma Lee, sons Randy (Billie), Rusty (Tricia), Kelly (Kaisa), and daughter-in-law Carol (John Crockett). Grandchildren are Jeannie (Philip), Scott (Darla), Courtney (Josh), Chase, Amaura, Savannah, Kelsey, Annie, and Tais. Great-grandchildren are Isaiah, Jadon, Tiffany, Charlotte and Alexandra.

The family would like to thank the staff at the VA Hospital and Veterans Home for Mitch’s good care. A memorial service will be held at United Methodist Church in Nampa (Southside Blvd. and Lewis Ln.) at 1 p.m. Saturday. April 15.

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