Gwendolyn Yvonne Mitchell

Our beloved mother, Gwen Mitchell nee Rauscher, passed away peacefully at Cherry Park Plaza in Troutdale, OR on December 18, 2022 after a short illness. She was born in Crawford, NE in 1922 and celebrated her 100th birthday with family this past February.

Gwen attended a one-room school house in Crawford, NE through the 8th grade. She graduated from West High School in Salt Lake City, UT with the class of 1940. She attended the LDS Business College, after which she worked in a movie booking office. When World War II began, she started work at the Remington Arms Company in SLC, where she met John H. Mitchell. They were married in Aztec, NM in 1943. After John was hired for the secret and unaccompanied tour by DuPont Corp. in Hanford, WA, Gwen moved back in with her parents. After being released from the “secret” work at Hanford, John joined the Navy and Gwen and their first child (J. D.) again stayed with her parents eventually ending up in Shelton, WA.

After the war, in 1946, Gwen’s young family moved to Hoquiam, WA and then in 1949 they moved to Central Park. Subsequently, they began their logging equipment manufacturing company (Mitchell’s Machine Shop and MAR Hook & Equipment, Inc.) in 1956. Gwen worked as MAR’s secretary and book keeper and, of course, mom of four children.

They moved their business in 1978 to Sandy, OR where they began an additional business, Mitchell RV, selling travel trailers, fifth wheels, pickup truck campers, and small motorhomes. They dissolved the corporation in December 1999.

She and John were active members of the Tyee Yacht Club in Portland. She was a long-time member of the United Methodist churches in the Aberdeen, WA area and Gresham, OR. She lived in the Boring, Gresham, and Troutdale areas from 1978 until her passing.

She stated her greatest joys were working in the business and activities with her children and spouses, and her grandchildren.

Gwen is survived by her three sons J. D. Mitchell (Bonnie) of Gresham, OR, Vaughn Mitchell of Ballinger, TX, Kameron Mitchell (Rosalie) of Pahrump, NV, daughter Kathleen Hill (Robert) of Olympia, WA, nine grandchildren, and thirteen great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband John H. Mitchell, her parents Franz Rauscher and Hazel Barnum Rauscher, and her brother Eugene Rauscher.

There will be public viewing at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home in Gresham, OR from 9:00 am until 10:00 am on Monday, December 26, 2022 followed by the memorial service at 10:30 am.

A private, family only, committal service will take place at Willamette National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be sent to the Gresham United Methodist Church in honor of Gwen Mitchell.