IANTHA WHITE MITCHELL


IANTHA WHITE MITCHELL
GODWIN - Mrs. Iantha White Mitchell, 100, died at her home, Tuesday, August 17, 2010.

Funeral services were held Friday at 3:00 pm at Baptist Chapel Church with the Rev. Alan Roberts and Rev. Paul Honeycutt officiating. Burial followed in the Family Cemetery.

Born October 7, 1909 in Franklin County, Mrs. Mitchell was the daughter of the late Kellie Brew and Jennie Bunn White. She graduated from Bunn High School and attended Maryville College, Meredith and East Carolina. Her teaching career spanned 33 years, having taught second grade, first grade and speech therapy in Franklin, Wayne, Sampson and Cabarrus counties. She retired from teaching in 1975. Mrs. Mitchell returned to Sampson County in 1983 where her husband of 50 years passed away after a battle with Alzheimer’s. Mrs. Mitchell was a member of Baptist Chapel Church, Sampson County Retired School Personnel, NCAE, NEA and Delta Kappa Gamma Society. She was previously a member of the Senior Tar Heel Legislature, National Silver Haired Congress, N.C. Senior Citizens Board of Directors, Mid-Carolina Aging Advisory Board, Sampson County Aging Advisory Board and Clement Civic Center Board. Her honors include Volunteerism award from Woodmen of the World, Margaret Hart Hardee Preeminence in Aging Award, 1500 Meter Race Walk, 1st place award in the N.C. Senior Olympics in 1991, and Chairman’s Citizenship Appreciation Award given by Sampson County Commissioners, and inducted into the Sampson County Democratic Hall of Fame.

Iantha has spent her life serving others, through teaching, volunteering, and working to improve the lives of senior citizens. For years, she directed the Rhythm Band at the Clement Nutrition site and visited area nursing homes making her “pop calls”. Her work for seniors on the state and national levels has made her known to most of the Senators and Representatives serving Sampson County as “Miss Iantha”. Her philosophy is a quote from Woodrow Wilson. “We are not here mainly to make a living. We are here to enrich the world, and we impoverish ourselves if we forget this errand.”

She is survived by her daughter, Mary Anna Jackson of Godwin; two grandsons, Gregory Dixon Jackson and fiancée, Darlene Wolf, and Jeffrey Mitchell Jackson and wife, Tammy, all of Godwin; and one great-granddaughter, Nina Jackson of Morrisville.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Baity Mitchell, and a son-in-law, Graham Dixon Jackson.

The family received friends Thursday night from 6-8 pm at Baptist Chapel Church and other times at her home.
 
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Baptist Chapel Church, 2256 Baptist Chapel Road, Autryville, NC 28318.

Arrangements are being handled by Royal-Hall Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent through www.royalhallfuneralhome.com.

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