John Kennedy Mitchell

On March 10, 2018, John K. Mitchell of Gig Harbor, Washington passed away suddenly. He was 80 years old. John will be dearly missed by his wife of 58 years, Carolyn; children: Mike Mitchell of Tacoma, Michelle (husband Jon) Straus of Puyallup and Marylee Mitchell Martucci of Tacoma; 2 Grandchildren: Justin (wife Amber) and Paige; 4 great-grandsons and numerous extended family and friends. He was predeceased by parents, Melvin and Katherine Mitchell and brother, Ron Mitchell. John grew up in Tacoma, Washington, attended University of Puget Sound and moved to Gig Harbor with Carolyn after they married in1960. He taught English for over 30 years at South Kitsap High School, where he also co-directed the school’s Musicals and served as the announcer at home football games. John enjoyed boating, fishing, traveling and sports. He was a fervent University of Washington Husky Football fan! Those wishing to pay respects are invited to a reception to celebrate his life on Saturday, April 7at the United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 7400 Pioneer Way, Gig Harbor, Washington beginning at 2PM, with a short program to share stories and memories at 2:30 PM. In lieu of flowers, our wish is that you take time to enjoy the simple pleasures in life – see a movie with a loved one, spend extra time loving your dog, grab coffee with a friend, and end every family conversation with, “I love you.” And always, always take time to laugh. That’s what John did. He leaves us rich in memories of all the guidance, laughter and love with which he touched our lives.