William Holloway Mitchell

William “Bill” Holloway Mitchell of Huntsville, Alabama passed away on September 5, 2024, at the age of 84. Bill was born on March 29, 1940, to Jack Mitchell and Verlene Salter in Hueytown, Alabama. Bill worked in the coal mines of the Woodward Iron Company while attending Fairfield High School. Upon graduating in 1958, Bill attended Birmingham-Southern College where he attained a Bachelor of Science with a major in mathematics.

After graduating college in 1962, the southern boy moved to St. Louis to work for the United States Air Force Aeronautical Charts and Information Center (ACIC) where his work supported Air Force operations during the Vietnam War. While the St. Louis sweet tea never met his standard, Bill met a St. Louis woman that exceeded his every standard, his wife to be, Mary Elizabeth Tack. In 1966, Bill moved to Huntsville, Alabama to begin a distinguished thirty-year career at NASA. In acknowledgement of his contributions to space flight, Bill was awarded a Silver Snoopy in 1987 and became a Space Flight Awareness Honoree in 2001.

Bill and Mary married in 1970 and raised three sons in Huntsville. Bill’s love of children led him to play the neighborhood Santa and to coach little league sports. Bill’s life was defined by his love of God and his love of family. He exemplified the golden rule, and his memory will be a guiding light for those who knew and loved him.

Bill is survived by his wife; Mary, his sons; Craig (Marla), Kevin (Lisa), and Trent, his grandchildren; Jack, Brooks, Tyler, Preston, and Georgie; and his brother; Leslie. He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Jackie Cox.

Bill’s life will be celebrated September 11, 2024, at noon at Valhalla Funeral Home, 698 Winchester Rd. NE, Huntsville, AL 35811. A visitation will be held at 11:00 AM, and a reception will be provided after the service.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude-today.html