Lena M. Mitchell, age 102, of White Lake, passed away August 17, 2021. Loving mother of David (Cindy) Mitchell and Lisa (Ron) Iacobelli. Cherished grandmother of Taylor (Daniel) Giltner, Gina (Michael Garguilo) Iacobelli, Carly (Brandon) Piazza, and Analena (Tomas) Laverty. Treasured great-grandmother of Madelyn, Owen, Evelyn, Nolan, Declan, Tomas, and Francisco. She will be missed by many loving nieces and nephews, and other extended family members. Lena was preceded in passing by her beloved husband: Chester Mitchell; her parents: Rinaldo and Roma (Ruggini) Felici; and her siblings: Gino Felice, Ida Bonaventura, and Eva Dragonette.
Lena was born July 22, 1919, in Detroit, Michigan. A World War II bride, Lena was married to the love of her life, Chester Mitchell in 1942. They shared sixty-six wonderful years together until Chester’s passing in 2008. Throughout the years, Lena made lifelong friendships with her neighbors in Southfield, and more recently, she considered the loving and caring staff members at Independence Village of White Lake to be her adopted family. Lena was very proud of her Italian heritage; and greatly enjoyed the memories she made as a member of the Sons of Italy social organization.
Lena and Chester spent their years together traveling all around the United States on golfing vacations, and took trips to Italy and other European countries. Lena was an exceptional athlete. She loved to play golf, and she was the only one in her family to make a hole in one! Later in life, she also participated in chair volleyball. In her free time, Lena could always be found with a paintbrush in hand; she painted with oils, acrylics, and watercolors, covering her apartment walls in her landscapes. She was a wonderful woman who will be greatly missed.
Memorial Mass will be held Friday, August 27, 2021 at 11:00am (Gathering 10:00am) at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 9086 Hutchins Road, White Lake. Inurnment will be held Saturday, August 28, 2021 at 11:00am at White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery, 621 W. Long Lake Road, Troy.
In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations be made to "Michigan State University" in memory of Lena Mitchell allocated to the Katherine Woloson Study Abroad Scholarship Endowed Fund mailed to Michigan State University, 535 Chestnut Road, Room 300, East Lansing, Michigan 48842.
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