Mary R. Mitchell

Mitchell ~ Mary Relean Mitchell was born March 15, 1950, in Minter City, Mississippi, to the late Moses Spruell and Mary Sanders.  She was the eighth child of ten children.  Mary confessed and accepted the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ as a youth and joined Jones Chapel Baptist Church.  She attended grammar school in Greenwood, Mississippi and moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1964.  Mary graduated from Carter H. Harrison High School and studied at Malcolm X College.  She went on to attend nursing school and became a Licensed Practical Nurse and began her career at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, Illinois.  On December 20, 1970, she wed Thomas Johnson in Chicago, Illinois and to that union they welcomed one beautiful daughter Zirnita (Johnson) Mallory.  She would later go on to wed Lewis Mitchell in Charlton County, Georgia on April 19, 1979.

Mary was a beautiful woman inside and out.  She was the most dependable daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother, and friend.  Mary valued each relationship equally.  Whenever anyone that she cared for was in need she was always the first person that was called upon to provide whatever care was needed.  She loved to give of herself no matter if it was of her time or money.  It brought her joy to serve others and she did it asking for nothing in return.  Her heart was bigger than her own needs.  She loved hard and she fought for the weak in spirit and health.  Her greatest joy was her grandchildren and grandnieces.

Although she only had one biological daughter, she let it be known that her first child was Faye Spruell, her second daughter was Onya Spruell Love and number three was the biological one, Zirnita Johnson Mallory.

On Thursday, June 29, 2023, at 3:15 p.m. in Tampa, Florida Mary was called to her heavenly home. She was preceded in death by both her parents (Moses and Mary Spruell), and siblings, Willie James Spruell, Jimmy Spruell, Marie Spruell, Tom Spruell; stepson, Victor Mitchell; in-laws, Willie Mae Blair, Ulysses Mitchell, Earl Mitchell, Juanita Mitchell, and Rhonda M. Addo.  She leaves to cherish her memories, loving daughter, Zirnita (Dewayne) Mallory; three grandchildren, Kendall Mallory, McKenzie Mallory, and Evan Mallory; stepchildren, Debbie Mitchell Ashley, Mary “Pudding” Mitchell, Bernard “Bernie” Mitchell; brothers, Hank (Betty) Spruill, Fred Rule (Spruell), Gene Spruell; sisters, Ernestine (Joseph) Thomas, Shirley Harris; brother-in-law, Bernard (Emma) Mitchell; special grandnieces, Iesha Harris, Neshea George; a host of nephews, nieces, grandnephews and friends.

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