Rita Gayle Mitchell

She passed away peacefully on February 24, 2026.

A memorial service will be held at Craig-Flagler Palms Funeral Home 511 Old Kings Road in Flagler Beach on Saturday, March 14th at 11:00 AM. Family and friends will be received a hour prior to the service.

Rita’s story was one of faith, skill, and quiet strength—woven across Cuba, Jamaica, and the United States. Her family’s journey began with her father, George Gayle, whose early work included time connected to the Panama Canal before building a life in Cuba. He traveled between countries and eventually married Irene Wright, and together they began their family in Cuba.

Rita was still very young when she moved with her family to Jamaica, where she was raised in Jonestown, with brother Ansel and sister Joyce, in a close family home that became the center of lifelong memories and relationships. She often spoke about a childhood filled with family, close neighbors who became lifelong friends, and a home shaped by care, pride, and resilience.

Rita’s gift revealed itself early. She began sewing on her mother’s machine as a child, and by her early teens she was already creating garments for grown women. She made her first wedding dress at thirteen years old—an early sign of the excellence that would define her life’s work. Rita described her talent as a calling from God, and throughout her life she carried deep gratitude for what she believed was a divine gift placed in her hands.

By nineteen, Rita had built a thriving business in Jamaica—Rita’s Fashion—serving clients who trusted her eye, her craftsmanship, and her ability to translate fabric and inspiration into gowns, dresses, and special occasion pieces. Her reputation grew because she delivered quality construction, excellent fit, and elegant design, every time.

In the late 1950s, Rita met and married Sylvanus Mitchell (1926–2001). In 1959, they immigrated to Brooklyn, New York, where they began a new chapter and worked hard to establish a life together. Rita was later blessed with two beloved children: her daughter, Deborah (born March 1963), and her son, Richard (born December 1964). Becoming a mother was one of Rita’s greatest joys, and she embraced motherhood with unwavering love and devotion.

Although Rita centered her life around her family, she never lost sight of her creative calling. Following the end of her marriage, she returned full time to the workforce and immersed herself in New York City’s fashion and pattern-making industry. Self-taught and highly skilled, she earned opportunities many never expected would be available to her—then proved, repeatedly, that she belonged.

Rita’s professional contributions included work connected to major fashion industry names such as McCall’s, Butterick, and Vogue, where she supported catalog and production pattern work that required precision, speed, and deep understanding of fit and construction. She was known for her standards: the work had to be right. Her talent made her indispensable, and she was often trusted with additional pattern work to complete outside regular hours.

Rita was also an entrepreneur at heart. In addition to her Jamaica business, her entrepreneurial achievements in New York City included launching two design businesses, creating for private clients, producing fashion shows and bringing her independent spirit and creative leadership into the heart of one of the world’s most demanding fashion markets. She built, rebuilt, and kept moving—always guided by skill, faith, and the belief that her gift would make a way.

Rita also had a spirit for adventure and a deep love of travel. She found joy in discovering new places and cultures, whether through international journeys or road trips closer to home. Cruising was a favorite vacation. Her adventurous soul was matched by a curious mind and a heart open to exploring the world around her.

In 1985, drawn by warmth and a gentler pace of life, Rita relocated to Orlando, Florida. Years later, in 2001, seeking even more tranquility, she made her home in Palm Coast—a community she quickly came to love and where she built enduring friendships that spanned more than two decades.

Rita Vicents Gayle Mitchell will be remembered for her kindness, grace, resilience, faith, and the beauty she brought into the world—through her artistry, her adventurous spirit, and the steady warmth of her presence. She leaves behind a legacy of creativity, strength, and unconditional love.

Rita is survived by her two children, Richard Mitchell and Deborah Mitchell, who will carry her memory forward with deep love and gratitude. She is predeceased by her cherished older brother, Ansel, and her younger sister, Joyce.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;

thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.