Obit of Mitchell, Blair - Love County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 17 Feb 2008 Return to Love County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/love/love.htm ===================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ===================================================================== ::NOT LISTED Santa Rosa Press Democrat Published on August 27, 2003 Blair Mitchell, a longtime Sonoma County resident who survived two Japanese torpedo attacks during World War II and was awarded the Purple Heart, died of heart failure Aug. 2 in Ardmore, Okla. He was 80. Though Mitchell survived the 1941 bombing on Pearl Harbor, it was his experience aboard the USS Henley that scarred him the most. A Navy radarman 2nd class, Mitchell was stationed off the coast of New Guinea in 1943 when a Japanese submarine fired on the ship, sinking it and killing several crewmen. Mitchell told his children stories about how he dog-paddled in shark- infested waters until he was rescued. "He always hated water after that," said his daughter, Stacy Delaney of Santa Rosa. Born in Nebraska, Mitchell moved to Northern California with his family as a young child. After spending four years in the military, he returned to Sonoma County, where he worked as an electrical technician for Pacific Bell. A romantic who was always searching for the perfect love, Mitchell married three times. He lived in Santa Rosa with his first wife, Anna Marie, where the couple raised two daughters. They divorced. He later married his second wife, Betty, and they lived in Santa Rosa and raised her three children. They later divorced. He lived with his third wife, Pat, in Calpella, in Mendocino County. "He just fell hard for things," his daughter said. Mitchell's other love was flying airplanes and he was a licensed pilot until he was 70. "He was always very self-willed and a very determined person," Delaney said. In 1999 Mitchell moved to Thackerville, Okla., to be near family members there. He regularly kept in touch with other veterans via e-mail and attended Bible study at the local veterans hospital. Mitchell was a member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. In addition to Delaney, Mitchell is survived by two additional daughters, Susan Rains of Thackerville, Okla., and Connie Limerick of Broken Arrow, Okla.; a son, Dana Mitchell of Santa Rosa; his former wives, Anna Marie Bond of Thackerville, Okla., and Betty Di Bez of Santa Rosa; a brother; three grandchildren; and four great- grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his third wife, Pat Mitchell, and sons Delvin and Dean Mitchell. A memorial service for Blair Mitchell will take place at a later date. Friends and family members are asked to send memories about Mitchell to the Delaney residence at 732 Mill St., Santa Rosa 95404, or call 578-5504. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Love County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/love/love.htm