Nancy Stickler Mitchell

Nancy Louise Mitchell, age 85, died peacefully on Saturday, July 23, following an extended illness. Her last few days were filled with visits from her loving family and friends. We are comforted by knowing that she is now with the Lord our God.

Nancy was born in Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, the youngest of four siblings of Nelson and Louise Stickler and lived for some time in the Philadelphia suburb of Lansdowne, where she graduated from high school. She lived in Boston for one year, where she was employed at the First Church of Christ, Scientist, the administrative center of the Christian Science denomination, to which Nancy belonged for many years, and worked for politician Harold Stassen during his tenure as president of the University of Pennsylvania. In December 1952 she married John L Mitchell, Jr. After marriage and a honeymoon spent with her in laws in late December at Niagara Falls, they lived in various cities over the years, including Omaha, where she and John became active members of the Unitarian church, and New York City, where she was employed by the William Alanson White Institute and Marble Collegiate Church. She and John traveled extensively including Europe and a dream trip to Egypt. After his death in 1994, Nancy moved to Denver.

A lifelong lover of singing and music, Nancy took part in many community theater performances over the years and studied operatic technique. One of the Mitchell family's sentimental treasures is an LP of Nancy performing a soprano aria of "Faites-lui mes aveux" from "Faust" by composer Charles Gounod. She sang as a soloist at various churches over the years.

Nancy attended Calvary Baptist Church of Denver for almost two decades, making friends who would be with her until the end of her life. Nancy traveled with the church on missions and study groups to places such as Poland, China and Israel. She became an outgoing and welcoming presence at the Quincy Place residence in Denver, to which she retired in 2012, volunteering as an "ambassador" to newcomers and cultivating a circle of friends.

Nancy is survived by her daughters, Elizabeth (Eugene) Gardner, Jennifer (Michael) Titus, and Ann (John) Hayden, and sons John and Thomas (Magalie) Mitchell. She has five grandchildren, Caroline, Thomas Jr., Shawn, Ryan and Emily and two great-grandsons, Christopher and Lucas, all of whom were greatly loved. She was preceded in death by her husband, three siblings, Jeanne, James, and Nelson Stickler, and her parents, Nelson and Louise Stickler.

A memorial service is being planned and will be held at Calvary Baptist Church. We request that memorial gifts, in lieu of flowers, be made to the Calvary Baptist Church Compassion Fund at 6500 Girard St., Denver, CO 80224.