Mr. Willis Henry Mitchell, 83, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 15, 2019. Visitation will be held at Hillcrest Funeral Home on Thursday, July 18, 2019 from 5-7pm. Services will be held Friday, July 19, 2019, at 10am at Hillcrest Memorial Chapel with interment to follow. Henry was a native of Robeline, Louisiana, and has been a resident of Bossier City for the past 65 years. He was born on October 27, 1935, in Allen, Louisiana. He was a member of First Baptist Bossier.
Henry served the banking community for 48 years as Senior Vice President for several local banks and was also president of the Louisiana Bankers Association. Henry served the Bossier community on the Bossier Parish Police Jury, as president of the Optimist Club, and was a member of the American Cancer Society. Henry also served his country in the Louisiana National Guard.
Henry was a loving father, son, brother, and grandfather. He devotedly served his family. He was a courageous partner to his wife Barbara Johnson Mitchell. He was a friend and companion to his sister Sue as long as she lived. He was a selfless father and guide to his children Gary Mitchell and Gay Draper until his dying moment.
He was a loyal friend to many and will always be remembered for putting the needs of others before his own. His children would like to thank their father for setting the example of integrity, positivity, graciousness, and love. He was always a gentleman.
Henry enjoyed spending his days hunting and fishing. He also loved collecting original arrowheads and hand-making his own.
Henry was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Johnson Mitchell; his parents Henry and Vera McCrory Mitchell; his sister Sue Mitchell Lambert; his niece Pamie Sue Lambert Lofton; and mother-in-law Grace Johnson.
Henry is survived by a son, Gary Landon Mitchell and his fiancé Dolly Jean Wood and her son, Justin Wood; daughter, Gay Lynn Draper and husband Jessie Glenn Draper III; his brother-in-law Arthur Lambert; his three grandchildren - Dr. Matthew Colton Raley and wife Dr. Danielle Grace Raley, Melany Danielle Eakin, and Andrew Charles Eakin; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be Eugene “Gene” Driggers, Andrew Driggers, Glenn Draper, Butch Ford, Patrick Jackson, Bill Altimus, Kevin Bragg, Dr. Matthew Raley, and Justin Wood. John LeGrand, Terry Hamous, and Andrew Eakin will serve as honorary pallbearers.
The family would like to express their appreciation to the staff at Pilgrim Manor Nursing Home for their dedicated care of Henry during the last few years of his life.
