Obituary of Howard Mitchell

Howard Hugh Mitchell was born to Hugh and Margaret (Cook) Mitchell on July 24, 1938 in St. Francis, KS. He was one of three children. He attended school in St. Francis, graduating in 1956. After graduation, he joined the United States Army and after basic training in Texas was stationed in Ft. Devens, Mass. where he was a tandem rotor helicopter repairman. After discharge from the Army, he returned to St. Francis and later married Dana Confer. A son, Michael and daughter, Sarah were born to them. After Dana’s death, Howard stayed in St. Francis and worked for the State of Kansas. He later married Sherry McDowell and a daughter, Stacey was born. Howard and Sherry later divorced. Howard and his family moved to Burlington where he operated the Conoco-Phillips Service Station (where McDonald’s is now located). He was also a commercial pilot and gave flying lessons to the area people. He became a Motor Carrier Inspector for the State of Kansas and moved to Pittsburg, Kansas. While there, he and Dorothy Lucke were married in 1989 and he added her daughters, Terrill Bartels and Sue Hitchcock to his family. He loved to travel and they spent weekends traveling through the Ozark Mountains. After their retirement, they moved to South Dakota and spent many more hours exploring the Black Hills. Health issues brought them back to Burlington in 2014. Howard loved to tease his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, making up silly stories and games. On his 70th birthday, Mike, Sarah, and Stacey and their families had a birthday party for him at Ft. Robinson, Nebraska which he enjoyed so much and often talked about what fun he had. He enjoyed visiting with Mike about airplanes and flying, had a fruit cake war with Stacey, and liked to travel to Wray and meet Sarah and her family for breakfast. His greatest enjoyment the last two years was watching his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in their various sports and visiting and going out for meals with the family. He died March 25, 2016 at Presbyterian St. Luke’s in Denver, Colorado with his family by his side. Howard is preceded in death by his parents, sister Shirley Boll, and his first wife Dana (Confer) Mitchell. Those left to cherish his memory are his wife Dorothy of Burlington, Colorado, son Michael (Cynthia) Mitchell of Sidney, Nebraska, daughters Sarah (Richie) Beckman of Wray, Colorado and Stacey (Doug) Kuszak of Lincoln, Nebraska, step-daughters Terrill Bartels and Sue (Stan) Hitchcock, both of Burlington, brother Harold (Kitty) Mitchell of Burlington. Grandchildren Kimberly, Andrew, and Justin Mitchell; Jake, Cole, Beau, and Paige Beckman; Austin, Noah, Creighton, and Maya Kuszak; step-grandchildren Jon Armbrister, Haley (Jeff) Gonzales, Molly Armbrister, Sabrina (Andy) Hornung, Crystal (Jason) Foose, and Adam Hitchcock. Howard also enjoyed 13 step great-grandchildren.