WILLIAM RAYMOND MITCHELL

WILLIAM RAYMOND (BILL) MITCHELL, a resident of the Oakland Community, retired Locksmith and United States Veteran died at 12:40 A.M. Thursday, February 26, 2009 at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis where he had been a patient for twelve days. He was 81 years of age and died following an extended illness.

Funeral Services with Military Honors for Mr. Mitchell were conducted at 3 P.M. Saturday, February 28th at the Peebles West Funeral Chapel at Oakland with Dr. Sam Lane of the Oakland Presbyterian Church, officiating. Interment followed in the Fayette County Memorial Park Cemetery on Highway 64. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Home-West Chapel of Oakland.

Mr. Mitchell was born December 26, 1927 in Shelby County Tennessee the son of the late Raymond D. Mitchell and the late Mildred Moss Mitchell. He received his education in the Memphis-Shelby County Public School System and was married July 16, 1950 to the former Mildred Wyse, who survives.

Mr. Mitchell served in the United States Navy for a six year period and returned to Memphis where he began his locksmith career that he pursued throughout his life. He was formerly involved with the installation of vault and banking equipment in the Memphis area and was employed by Webster Safe & Lock Company in Memphis for a number of years. He later served as a Locksmith for the AAA Safe & Lock Company located for many years on Highland Avenue in Memphis.

Mr. Mitchell retired eight years ago from his lifelong vocation and moved to the Oakland Community.

He was of the Christian faith and will be remembered as a person devoted to his family and country.

In addition to his wife of fifty-eight years, Mr. Mitchell is survived by his daughter, Teri Hilliard and husband Miles of Bartlett; two sons, Glynn Mitchell of Oakland and Randy Mitchell (Kelly) of Cookeville, TN; two sisters, Nancy Berry of Memphis and Edith Gullet of Somerville; one brother, Kenneth Mitchell of Brunswick, TN; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Those honored to serve as casket bearers were Steve Wyse, "Skip" Wyse, Andy Domino, William Berry, Donnie Lovelace and Bobby Mathis.

The family request that Memorials be directed to either the West Clinic or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.