Altogether<br/>4307 Vineland Road, Suite H-17-19, Orlando, FL 32811<br/>For more information, visit our website at <a href='www.altogetherfuneral.com'>www.altogetherfuneral.com</a><br/>Copyright © 2025 FPG Intermediate Holdco, LLC

On September 23, 2023, on a calm Sunday afternoon, surrounded by loving family Michael Duane Mitchell passed away after a brave three-year battle with dementia. We like to believe when his soul left his earthly body that he mounted his beloved horse Colly and took off to explore new trails in the heavens. Michael, who turned 84 years old on August 21, 2023, was born in Bloomington, Indiana in 1939 to Everett Mitchell and Allie Beatrice Richardson Mitchell. In 1943 the family moved from Bloomington, Indiana to Carmel, California where his dad was stationed in Fort Ord and supplied troops in the Pacific Theatre with military needs. Over the next seven years the family traversed the country with the Army. After his parents divorced Michael lived with his mother in Arizona, his beloved cousin and ‘big sister’ Judy Carpenter and her family, as well as other foster families. It was not an easy early life, but Mike achieved greatness.  He was a carpenter, author, athlete, professor, jet pilot, horseback rider, painter, cook, abalone diver, consultant, father, and partner. He loved his family deeply. One of his first life adventures happened at the age of 15, when he travelled by himself across the ocean where he joined his dad and step-mother Gladys (Blinky) Mitchell in Linz, Austria in 1954. After attending his freshman year in high school Linz, he moved back to Santa Barbara attending Santa Barbara High School from 1955-57. It was here he met his life-long friend John Laughlin and had many adventures together! While completing an undergraduate degree in Psychology from UCLA, Michael married Jane Schmitt in 1960, and they proudly welcomed their first son Michael Alton Mitchell. During that time, he attended UCLA ROTC Wing and achieved a Professor of Air Science Junior Medal and went into the US Airforce in 1963 becoming a 2nd LT and a jet pilot. After leaving the air force he earned his master’s degree in psychology at UCLA and PhD in Industrial Psychology in 1966 from Purdue University and excitedly welcomed his second son, Mark Alan Mitchell! Michael Jr., Mark and their dad had many outdoor adventures including fishing/camping trips at Deer Creek as well as abalone diving trips to Mendocino. His sons fondly remember their dad’s endless schemes to efficiently access the treacherous abalone diving site (e.g. canoe, swimming, etc.) Mike also enjoyed building and fixing things in his shop with his kids and brother-in-law Peter Shipka. Over the next 50 years Michael evolved his talent and business acumen as senior organization development consultant, working globally to effect change. Early in his career, he was the founder and corporate manager of OD for Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical, working with diverse manufacturing and chemical process plants world-wide. His later work involved his passion for flattening organizational levels in group work and getting the client to pay attention to the voices of those doing the real work and institute gainsharing. Throughout the 1960 -70’s Michael worked as a professor of Organization Development at San Francisco State and Chico State, and it was there he met Al and Maryann Benner who became fast friends. In the mid-70’s Michael was asked by Pat Williams, the founder of the Master of Organization Development (OD) program within Pepperdine University to join the original faculty and design and evolve the OD program which has now been in existence for more than fifty years. His impact on the program was impressive as noted by Steve Pile who attended Pepperdine University from 1985 – 1988, as did his future wife Beth Shipka. “I doubt most MOSDer’s know him including faculty.  I do strongly believe that today most of them unconsciously feel his imprint on the program in the form of an invisible meme that blesses us all. During our first session in 1985, for five days he was the masterful leader of our T-group and a dear friend ever since. He was adept at giving us room to struggle with foibles of human communication, yet there with timely nudge that respite from our despair. He was one of the co-authors of a book entitled the Four House Model, which was utilized in the MSOD program. His other publications included: Harvard Business Review, The Transition Meeting (1976), Straw into Gold (date) a book about making rapid/ major change in organizations, and Twice Around the Bowl (the porcelain press) which was a hit with his friends. Michael loved horses and he rode the Pacific Coast Trail with Pat and other Pepperdine faculty and students over eight years of summers rides from the border of Mexico to Canada, journaling along the way. He never published the narrative, though Steve noted he’d studied the draft and “marveled at the challenges they faced.” Micheal loved western lore and was a student of the wild west, and Stephen said he was giddy with excitement when he shared an article that one of his ancestors was in the original Pony Express. Steve and Michael spent an unforgettable week together riding Wyoming’s Outlaw Trail on a 10,000-acre working cattle ranch and climbing up the Hole in the Wall as they imagined being desperadoes escaping from the Pinkertons. Mike was natural on a horse, and they were put to work moving a large herd of cattle in their new grazing area. He dedicated his retirement time to building tiny houses for the homeless. When family and friends were asked to describe Michael, the adjectives included: Intelligent/Wise                   A True Pal                   Strategic Thinker Kind                                       Impatient                    Thoughtful Ferocious Reader                 Sweet                          Highly organized Talented Writer                    Mischievous               Funny He was always a detailed person, and he created order out of chaos, alphabetizing the spice drawer, as well as the labelling the linen closet. He was Mr. Infrastructure! In 2018 prior to his dementia, he wrote letters to all his children, grandchildren and wife. What a gift! That was Michael. As mentioned earlier, he was married in his early 20’s to his first wife. He went on to marry four times, saying he was an eternal optimist! Each wife was special and added to his life journey!  His wives include Janey Schmitt, Carol Scalinetti, Donna Robbins and Beth Shipka. Beth and Michael were married on October 10th, 1993, and welcomed their sweet daughter, Allie McKenzie Mitchell to their family! She brought additional joy into their lives and Mike was ecstatic to have a girl to hover over. Michael was foundational in her scholastic success and her anchor throughout life. It was heart-warming to see how the combined family knitted together: Michael Jr, his wife Kristen and children Riley, Alton and Elise Mark Mitchell with his first wife Heidi and their children Morgan and Grant. And then with Caroline, his second wife and her son Jake. Allie Mitchell, boyfriend Austin Evans Rob and Susan Dietz, and children David and Bryan Furry friends, Maggie, Barney and Murphy. Holidays were also spent in Canada and Hawaii with Beth’s family: Peter Shipka, children Andrea, Nicholas, and Sarah with partner Carla Kembel George and Chris Pugh, children Renee Pugh (Ryan Spokes, daughter Riley) and Nicole Singh (Mo Singh, daughters Munroe and Nyla) Bette Shipka Ted Shipka, wife Glenda Faye Palmer and Ted's children Jim and Kerry Festivities included family gatherings which involved enjoying neon burgers and drinking terminator’s or gin and tonics at McMenamins, cooking Greek spaghetti and lots of card games of Fool Your Buddy. We look forward to meeting up with Michael/Dad and enjoying the trails with him.

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Michael Mike Mitchell Obituary | Altogether