Marvin Warren Mitchell

Marvin was born in Kansas City, MO to Wayne Mitchell and Mildred Morris. Marvin grew up with his sister, Gail Hodgson, in Missouri. After high school he graduated from University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg with a degree in Economics, after which he acquired his Master’s from Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, AZ. He served in the Army Reserves from 1967 through 1972 with an honorable discharge, authorized as a Rifle Sharpshooter and trained in Carpentry.

He met his first wife Ruth at UCM and married in 1964, divorced in 1986. They had two daughters, Laura and Andrea. Laura resides with her husband Jim and son Kyle in Montrose, CO. Andrea passed away at a very young age. Job opportunities moved them to Denver, CO where he become a Realtor and started his own Real Estate Brokerage, specializing in Commercial Real Estate in the 70’s. Then he went on to work as a Stock Broker in the 80’s. A few years after his divorce, he moved to Southern California where his dad and sister resided. He lived in San Diego, Temecula, and Newport Beach. He worked in stocks and car sales for the next ten years. In 1989 he was led to Alcoholics Anonymous and found a new social club and a life of sobriety that lasted throughout the rest of his life. It was during this time he purchased his first Harley and became an avid two-wheeler. He located to Grand Junction, CO in 1999 to be near Laura.

In 2001 while working at Ed Bozarth Chevrolet, he met his future wife Barbara. They discovered they both played clarinet 40 years ago. He had taken some refresher lessons and joined the Centennial Band, told her that she should do the same. So, she did, which sparked a new friendship and closeness that led to marriage on December 27, 2005.

After his retirement from Centennial RV in Grand Junction, with his wife they took a trip to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, where Laura and family ventured annually, fell in love with the area, purchased a second home, and spent the next 14 years, four months a year, building life-long memories together, namely through his love of sailing and their involvement with new friends and community. He encountered God in ways beyond explanation that changed him forever.

Discovering the real Marvin was without a doubt a privilege for many, and maybe a bit frustrating for others, depending on which side you were on. Yes, he had his opinions, but his strongest conviction was his faith and love of life and family. Grand Junction opened him up to opportunities he had only dreamed of and he forged ahead fearlessly with “gusto”. To name a few: of course he continued to be active in AA; took to the stage and became involved in local theater; served as president of Senior Theater; studied ventriloquism online and adopted Kenny as his new friend and shared him with many diverse audiences in GJ and Mexico; was a member of Centennial Band and Sentimental Journey Band. He was an ardent collector of antique clocks, antique tricycles, metal roosters, and an outrageous desire to increase his Santa Clause collection. His character was one of playfulness and humor. His wife comments, “He never grew up”.

Marvin and Barbara joined First Christian Church of Grand Junction last October of 2024. Both found a community of faith there that grounded them in the love of Jesus Christ through the love and support of church family.

Whether on his motorcycle or sailing, he loved the freedom feeling of being on the open road facing the wind and the solitude of sailing and being on the open water facing the wind. His legacy is that he loved to make people laugh, and he claimed to hold a deep-rooted sense of well-being.

He is survived by his wife Barbara Mitchell of Grand Junction, daughter Laura Mitchell of Montrose and husband Jim Beck of Montrose, grandson Kyle Beck of Montrose, sister Gail Hodgson and husband Alan Hodgson of Ventura, CA, niece Cressida Wilton and family of Susanville, CA, half-sister Jennifer Mitchell of Longbranch, WA; step-daughter Julie LeClaire of Ft. Collins, CO, step-granddaughters Shelby Deutsch of Chicago, IL and Sabrina Drake and husband of Edmonds, WA, step-great-grandson Evren Drake of Edmonds, WA.

There will be a Celebration of Life Memorial on Saturday, August 23rd, 1pm at First Christian Church, 1326 N 1st St, Grand Junction, CO, where there will be a memorial service and reception following with light refreshments. In lieu of flowers, please direct any donation you may be led to contribute to First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Grand Junction and/or HopeWest Care Center Grand Junction.