Lorenza Mitchell

First giving honor and praise to our Omnibenevolent Almighty Sovereign God from whom all blessings flow. Let everything that has breath praise God. Whatever our challenges, this is the day God has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Lorenza Mitchell was born on July 24, 1923 to Rose and Nicolas Mitchell in Iberia Parish, New Iberia, Louisiana. She accepted Christ at a very young age. Lorenza Mitchell made her Final Great Transition to her Heavenly Forever Home on April 21, 2022. Her beloved husband, Fred Mitchell, passed away in the 1960’s and her beloved son, Mitch Mitchell, about two years ago.

Mrs. Mitchell graduated high school at 11th grade and then attended Leland college. She married Fred Mitchell in the 1940’s, after his honorable discharge and return from serving in the Army where he learned to be a cook. They were blessed with two children Rose Mitchell Mendes and Mitch Mitchell.

During the 1950’s she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Home Economics and Master’s degree in Elementary Education at Texas Southern University in Houston. Then, Mrs. Mitchell worked as a school teacher for about twenty years. For the last half of her teaching career she taught computer lab to mostly Hispanic speaking students at DeSaVa Elementary school, where she learned to speck Spanish and actively supported the Red Cross, earning recognition for five and ten years of service. Along the way she learned to play the piano, organ, guitar, sew, knit and crochet.

Lorenza Mitchell wrote a major part of her life story, as set out in her first Book, entitled “Do It”, a daily guide for reading the entire Bible in one year with poems and inspirational readings. She obtained a copyright for the Book in 1986 and DO IT was first printed in November 1988. She published the Book under the name Barbara Lorenza Mitchell and handled the business side under the name DeeDee’s Couples. The poems in the Book were written by Mitch Mitchell.

She sold beautifully made handkerchiefs, sometimes giving away DO IT and selling the handkerchiefs to those who could afford it to support the business side.

During early adult years, Lorenza Mitchell and Fred Mitchell owned and operated various businesses. In Port Author, Texas, Mrs. Mitchell ran the Record Shop with help from Margie Lewis, her beloved cousin. Having learned how to cook in the Army, Fred Mitchell spent most of his working life in the Restaurant business. In Houston, Lorenza and Fred Mitchell owned several restaurants including the Cepango, Art’s Eat a Bite, Mitchell’s Kitchen and the Satellite. The Satellite offered one of the best fine dining experiences in Houston during the 1960’s. Mrs. Mitchell helped by using her home economics skills to make delightfully delicious deserts and by giving decorating tips, such as the red carpet on the floor.

Thankfully, Lorenza Mitchell has enjoyed a long and prosperous life. In her retirement, Lorenza Mitchell enjoyed playing the piano, sewing, knitting which she had learned to do in her youth. She devoted many of her remaining years to helping other individuals find the peace she had come to know within the Word of God. Her Book “DO IT” is a testament to that endeavor.

A Note was written by Rev Crawford W. Kimble, then Pastor of the Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Good Hope Church is celebrating it’s 150th year anniversary in 2022, under Pastor Rev Dr. DZ Cofield. During her active retirement years, Lorenza Mitchell regularly participated in Church activities including SAMs Club for seniors under Rev Ronald Bell, various Sunday school classes and training seminars, the Proverbs 31 Woman’s Group under Barbara Brawley. Rev Bell prayed with Mrs. Mitchell the day before she slipped away in her sleep at night.

Lorenza Mitchell accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior and was baptized at an early age, and joyfully and willing served God all her life of nearly 99 years, her age had she lived to late July 2022, God has carried her from birth and through the challenges of all those blessed years. Many family members, Church members, coworkers, neighbors, friends and other loved ones passed away before Lorenza Mitchell , including her son Mitch Mitchell, her parents Nicolas and Rose Mitchell, her older sisters Gloria and Mary, and her husband Fred Mitchell.

Lorenza Mitchell is survived by her daughter Rose Mendes, four grandchildren Daishea Mitchell, Les A. Mendes, Ade Mendes and Tunde Mendes, an eleven amazing and delightful great grand children.

During her later years, Lorenza Mitchell enjoyed participating in activities for elders at Shape Community Center, attending Town Hall meeting held to address the needs of the Third Ward Community, and frequently visiting other churches. As her health started to decline she regularly sought treatment from her long time medical providers. Lorenza Mitchell spent the last few years at Memory Care Facilities in Houston, first at the Silverado and then at the Reserve at Braeswood, receiving excellent care and fellowship by staff of both facilities.

In the last year of her life she received Hospice care provided by Amedisys Hospice, with compassionate and loving care by the medical teams, caregivers and other staff of both The Reserve and Amedisys, who were with her the night she slipped away while sleeping and made the Final Great Transition to her Heavenly home to praise and worship God forever and ever. Please read the Benediction at Hebrews I3:20, 21. God is an Awesome God. Amen, Ameen!!!

A visitation for Lorenza will be held Saturday, May 7, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM at Paradise Funeral Home, 10401 West Montgomery, Houston, TX 77088. A funeral service will occur Saturday, May 7, 2022 from 10:30 AM to 12:10 PM, 10401 West Montgomery, Houston, TX 77088. A committal service will occur Saturday, May 7, 2022 from 12:15 PM to 12:45 PM at Paradise Cemetery North, 10401 West Montgomery, Houston, TX 77088.