Mr. Joseph A. Mitchell, after 79 years of life, passed from this life on Sunday, October 11, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana.  A resident of Leesville, Louisiana, Mr. Mitchell was a retiree from the United States Army.

Joseph Alvin Mitchell was born on November 2, 1940 in Bluffton, South Carolina, the son of Alvin and Made Howard Mitchell. He was one of 12 children in the family.

SGM Retired Mitchell attended Michael C. Riley High School, the University of Maryland [Far East Division], and Thomas A. Edison State College, Trenton, New Jersey. His military schooling included Cannon A1T Basic Cannon School, Airborne School, Air Assault School, 8th Army Noncommission Academy, Advance Noncommission Officers Course, TACFIRE Command and Staff Course, NBC School, Emergency Medical Instructor Course and the Atomic Eight-inch Assembly School. His military schooling also includes 121 transcribed hours of extension courses.
SGM Retired Mitchel's Twenty-Nine years of service included assignments as Cannoneer, Missile Crewman, Senior Assembly Specialist, Assistant Gunner, Gunner Section Chief, Chief of Firing Battery, Instructor, First Sergeant Operations Sergeant, National Guard Advisor, Engineer Directorate Sergeant Major, Brigade Operations Sergeant Major, and Counterfire Battalion Sergeant Major, with duties at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Fort Lewis, Washington, Fort Carson, Colorado, West Point New York, Aurora, Colorado, Korea [3], Vietnam [2], Germany [2] and Turkey.

SGM Retired Mitchell's awards and decorations include; The Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, The Meritorious Service Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster, the Good Conduct Medal Ninth Awards, the National Defense Medal, Armed Forces Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Vietnamese Service and Campaign Medal, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the German Medal of Honor, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge and the Pershing Missile Badge.

He was very active in community activities, where he assists with the Senior Citizens Program, the Disabled Veterans and the VA Hospitalized Veterans. He is Co-founder, Executive Officer and Adjutant of the Retired Noncommissioned Officers Plus One Committee of Central Louisiana.
SGM Retired Mitchell was married to his first wife in 1969 and his second wife in 1992.

He leaves in God's care; his children, Rhonda, Jacqueline, Billy, Dwayne [Jaylin, deceased], Brian, Gerald and Lloyd; his brothers, Albert, Israel, Phillip, Elick, Willie, Joseph, and Herman; his sisters, Thelma, Margret, Gineva, Regina and Bessie; his grandchildren, Shawn, Darrell II, Jasmine, Victoria, Alexis; his great-grandchildren, Joseph, Dawson, Kevin, Zion, Victor and Zuri; along with other relatives and friends; and a host of nieces and nephews from Bluffton, SC

You may  visit Mr. Mitchell, as he slumbers in peaceful repose at the funeral home in Muskogee on Friday, October 16, 2020 from 1:00 PM until 6:00 PM.

Burial will be on Monday, October 19, 2020 at 2:00 PM in the Fort Gibson National Cemetery.  The funeral cortege will depart from the funeral home on Monday at 1:30 PM for those wishing to travel in the procession for Mr. Mitchell.