Philip Herbert Mitchell

The Rev. Doctor Philip Herbert Mitchell died early in the morning of June 22nd at his home in Orleans, MA. He had completed 87 trips around the sun. He was the husband of the late Barbara Fay (Madden) Mitchell, and the father of Christi Ann Mitchell and the late Timothy Paul Mitchell. He was born to Clarence Herbert Mitchell and Elsie (Moore) Mitchell in Northampton, MA and was brother to Robert Mitchell and his late wife Ruth Mitchell, the late Shirley (Mitchell) Moser and the late Thomas Moore Mitchell. He is also survived by his beloved daughter-in-law Alicia Nulty Mitchell and adored grandson Benjamin Mitchell, his son-in-law Andrew Sell, brother-in-law Ken Moser, sister-in-law Tammy Mitchell; nieces Nicki Bodenstein, Kathryn Brown, and Emily Bryant; nephews Col. Martin Mitchell, Andy Moser, Steve Moser, Gary Moser and David Moser; cousins Donald, Jo Ann and David Mitchell, Lynn Wilson, Tony Stavely and Paul Stavely, and their spouses and children and grandchildren too numerous to list.

Rev. Mitchell – Phil – Dad – graduated from Amherst, MA high school in 1949, started college at Amherst College and then joined the Army during the Korean War. After two years of military service, he returned to school, graduating from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) in 1955. In 1957, he married the girl next door, Barbara, with whom he celebrated 54 years of marriage until her death in 2011. He then attended Andover Newton Theological School, served as a student pastor at the Maple Street Congregational Church in Danvers, MA, and graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity in 1959. Twenty years later, he received his Doctorate in Ministry from the San Francisco Theological Seminary.

He was ordained as a minister in 1958 while serving as minister at Federated Church of Charlton, MA. In 1962, he and Barbara moved to Hollis, NH, where he served the Congregational Church (United Church of Christ) of Hollis, NH until 1972, during which time they adopted their daughter Christi Ann and their son Timothy Paul. The entire family moved to Binghamton, NY in 1972, where he was the minister of the First Congregational Church (United Church of Christ) until his retirement in 1993. After moving to Orleans, he served as interim minister at the Congregational Church of South Dennis, MA (twice), the Federated Church of Hyannis, MA and the First Church of Pembroke, MA. Long a trustee of Andover Newton Theological School, he also served as the Interim Dean of Students. He authored two books, Desire to See God, and Lifted Like a Loon.

“To Believe is to Care – to Care is to Do.” These are the words by which Phil Mitchell lived his life – whether as a friend or a family member, a chaplain or a minister, a Rotarian or a volunteer. A fair man, he was passionate about social justice, and as a young minister, he joined Dr. Martin Luther King in Montgomery, AL, linking hands and singing We Shall Overcome. As a Chaplain in the Army Reserve, where he obtained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he ministered to men and women in times of war and in moments of peace. As a community member, he gave freely of his time and energy to many good causes – Metro Interfaith, Habitat for Humanity, Homeless Prevention Council, Housing Assistance Corporation, the Cape Cod Council of Churches and Wells Court Apartments – and touched many lives along the way. As a lifelong Red Sox fan he knew sorrow and joy, and yet was always optimistic and cheerful. His family fondly remembers him during summers at the Cape, body surfing at Nauset Beach, rooting for the Cardinals and Firebirds at Eldredge Park, and watching the sun set over Town Cove. He was a good listener, a talented photographer (when he remembered to turn on the camera), a lover of flower gardens and one never to say no to dinner out with friends. He also made the coffee.

The funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 7th at 2:00 p.m. at the Federated Church of Orleans, 162 Main Street, East Orleans, MA with a reception in the church vestry immediately following. Dad asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Ted Madden Scholarship Fund, Amherst Regional High School, 21 Mattoon Street, Amherst, MA 01002; the Memorial Fund at the Federated Church of Orleans, PO Box 761, East Orleans, MA 02643; or Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod, 411 Main Street, Suite 6, Yarmouth Port, MA 02675. Cremation services are being provided by Nickerson Funeral Home of Orleans, MA.