Obituary of Vincent J. Mitchell, Sr.

PEABODY—Vincent J. Mitchell, Sr., 90, beloved husband of Mary (Perlino) Mitchell of Peabody, passed away peacefully in the supportive and loving presence of his family early Saturday morning, June 25, 2011, at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers. Born in Lynn, he was the son of the late Filippo and Michelina (Petrillo) Minichiello who emigrated from Avellino, Italy. His life illustrated the experience of The Greatest Generation. In the Roaring Twenties, his father gifted his children with the American name Mitchell, passing away when the children were very young. The family moved to Lynn’s multicultural Brickyard neighborhood. As a teenager, he was enrolled in the Civilian Conservation Corps where he helped build roads and fire towers on Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire. There, he made friends for a lifetime. Coming of age during the Second World War, one of his biggest life disappointments was that he was unable to serve his country overseas due to childhood injuries. Instead, he contributed to the war effort fighting his battles on U.S. soil building turbine engines at General Electric in Lynn where he stayed on until his retirement. Always athletic, Mitch, as everyone called him, twice entered and won the classic swimming competition “The Great Race from Egg Rock.” The trophies always remained on display on his mantle. Mitch met Mary Perlino at a wedding. Attracted by her dimpled smile, he crossed the room and asked her to dance. They married in 1994 and had five children during the Fifties, moving to Peabody in 1963. He said recently his best times were “when all the kids were here,” except for the heartbreak of losing his youngest daughter Annette, a nurse at MGH, to cancer at age 24. During the Eighties and Nineties, Mitch took great pride in spending his retirement years as the purchasing agent for Champion’s Pub in Peabody, co-owned by his son Phil. He and his wife enjoyed several trips to Italy as well as visiting their precious grandchildren on their college campuses, attending a succession of their commencements, and dancing with his beloved Mary at their weddings. Married 67 years this past May, he recently said that it was still the “best day of my life.” He will be affectionately remembered, and survived by his wife Mary (Perlino) Mitchell of Peabody; his sons Vincent J. Jr. & wife MaryLee Mitchell, and Phillip & wife Jodi Mitchell all of Peabody; his daughters, Linda & husband Tim Bassett of Marblehead, and Denise Mitchell & Lou Johnson of Salem; 10 grandchildren and spouses, Marisa Rose Bassett & Michael Costello, Paul Vincent Melendy, Vincent J. Mitchell, III, Timothy and Jacklyn, Christine Mitchell, Kyle Multner, Kellie Multner, Michelle Annette Melendy, Nicole Rose Mitchell, and David Hoar, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death, besides his parents, by his daughter Annette Rose Mitchell, brothers Andrew, Rocky, and Phillip Mitchell, and Tony and Rudolph Porecco, and his sister Gina (Mitchell) Frasca. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to gather on Wednesday June 29, 2011 at 9 AM from the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody, followed by a Funeral Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM in St. Adelaide’s Church, Peabody. A visitation will be held on Tuesday from 4 – 8 P.M. in the funeral home. Burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Lynn. Expressions of sympathy may be made to either the Kaplan Hospice House, c/o Hospice of the North Shore, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923; NSMC Cancer Walk, c/o NSMC, Development Office, 81 Highland Ave, Salem, MA 01970; or to North Shore Elder Services, 152 Sylvan St., Danvers, MA 01923. Please visit www.ccbfuneral.com for online obit and sign condolences.