Mitchell, Alan
MITCHELL, Alan R.
Alan Rhodes Mitchell, age 82 was called home by his Savior and Lord on November 15, 2022 after a valiant battle with Parkinson's disease. He was born September 27, 1940 in Washington DC to John Rhodes and Mildred Templeman Mitchell. When his father was transferred to Richmond, Virginia he spent his formative years there graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1958.
In the Fall of 1958, he enrolled at Georgia Tech where he joined Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and later served as President. Two weeks after graduating from Tech as a Mechanical Engineer he married Faustine Wilson Mitchell.
He joined Southern Bell Telephone Company working initially in the Commercial Department, and after taking specialized training in Cooperstown, New York he transferred to the Marketing Department where his work was instrumental in the sale of primitive data communications systems throughout North Georgia.
In 1967 he and his family transferred to Bell Telephone Laboratories in New Jersey. After over 4 years designing computer systems at Bell Labs, he transferred back to Atlanta and joined the Corporate Planning Department where he was responsible for a number of innovative programs.
In 1974 he graduated from Georgia State University with an MBA and was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma Honorary Society. Later he transferred to the Information Technology Department where he remained until his 1993 retirement.
Following retirement, he worked for Actamed/WebMD and later spent several years in Mexico helping to start Axtel, a new telephone company competing with Telmex. He also used his computer skills to assist many faith-based non-profit organizations in the Atlanta area.
In 1987 he joined the Atlanta Post-Polio Association where he was elected to the Board of Directors in addition to serving as editor and publisher of "APPA News" for many years.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Faustine Wilson Mitchell; two sons, C. Andrew Mitchell (Christen) of Honolulu and Alan R. Mitchell, Jr. (DeAnne) of Savannah; four grandchildren, Brennan W. Mitchell and Mary Virginia L. Mitchell of Savannah, and R. Alan Mitchell and Lily T. Mitchell of Honolulu. He is also survived by his sister, Kathleen Gross of Ooltewah, Tennessee.
A celebration of life will be held Monday March 13, 2023, at 10 AM in the Sanctuary of Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Atlanta, Rev. John Uldrick and Rev. Dan Hayes officiating. The family will receive after the service. A private burial service will be held later at Arlington Memorial Park.
The family wishes to thank The Renaissance on Peachtree, Harmony at Savannah, Heart of Angels Caregivers, Coastal Partners and Hospice Savannah for their care of Alan.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to Orchard Ministries, P.O. Box 18577 Atlanta, GA 31126 or www.meetorchard.org
