Dr. William Thomas Mitchell Jr. passed away at his home in Metairie on Thursday, February 8, 2018, at the age of 88. Dr. Mitchell is survived by his wife of 60 years, Rita Wallenius Mitchell; his daughter Tracy Louise Mitchell-Bjorkman (husband, Klas Bjorkman) of Stockholm, Sweden; sons, William T. Mitchell III and Eric Carl Mitchell (wife, Cindy Bordelon Mitchell); grandchildren, Kaisa Pearl and Bo William Bjorkman both of Stockholm, Sweden; sister, Janet Mitchell Head and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, William T. and Christine Tinsley Mitchell and his brother- in-law Dr. Charles Head.
Dr. Mitchell was a graduate of the University of Alabama and Tulane Medical School. He interned at the University of Texas Medical School in Galveston and began his pathology training at Tulane University. He was drafted as a medical officer in the U. S. Army in 1956 and served in Tokyo, Japan. He returned to his residency at Tulane and Ochsner Foundation Hospital after which he joined the Ochsner Pathology Department. He was a surgical pathologist who received board certification from The American Board of Pathology in Clinical and Anatomic Pathology, Dermatopathology and Cytopathology. He was on the Ochsner staff for nearly 40 years.
Dr. Mitchell was a member of the American Medical Association, American Society of Clinical Pathologists and a Life Fellow of the College of American Pathologists. He was a Clinical Professor of Pathology and a recipient of The Hurst B. Hatch Memorial Award Outstanding Teacher of the Year in 1966. He was a co-author of many publications and participated in many Postgraduate Seminars.
He was an avid reader, who enjoyed traveling and spending time with his family and friends. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather with many friends and colleagues and will be dearly missed. The family would like to send their deepest appreciation to the caregivers of AmeraCare Family Hospice for all their love and support.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a visitation at Lake Lawn Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd., New Orleans, LA on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at noon and a memorial service to follow at 2:00 p.m. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Dr. Mitchell’s memory to Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation or Alzheimer’s Research.
To view and sign the family guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com
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