Rowena Adams Mitchell

Rowena Adams Mitchell passed away peacefully on October 4, 2024 at the age of 93, while playing a game of PokerKeno. Rowena was born on Christmas Day, 1930 in Chackbay, LA to the late Eddie and Ethel Adams. She was the second born oldest girl of a family, which would grow to 11 children, which included 7 brothers and 3 sisters.

The Adams family settled on Ponchatoula, LA on a 10 acre farm. Rowena was a “country girl.” This is where Rowena spent her youth, helping on the farm and assisting her mother with the younger children. She graduated from Ponchatoula High School in 1948. She was a member of the cheerleading squad and the family has a beautiful photograph of her in her uniform with the group. She was elected to the homecoming court in her senior year.

In 1949 Rowena married Henry E. Mitchell and they were married for 53 years. The newlyweds moved to Destrehan, LA to pursue job opportunities. There they began their family and had a daughter, Linda, and three sons, Marcus, Eric, and Michael.

Her husband Henry pursued numerous endeavors during their marriage and Rowena contributed her time and energy for their success. There was a gas station, grocery store, snowball stand, and door to door soft drink delivery service, among other businesses. Rowena and Henry worked together to support their family. She also found time to become a Brownie Troop leader for the young girls in the neighborhood. While assisting Henry she also found employment in the local banks as a teller and then head teller. She spent 35 years working between American Bank and First American Bank. She made friends with many of the customers during her time there. She always had a smile and gave courteous service to everyone. In 1999 she was awarded the American Bank Teller of the Century for her dedication.

When she retired from the banking industry Rowena volunteered with the St. Charles Parish Council of Aging. She was a member of the Red Hat’s, the Nifty Fifty’s, and was an auxiliary member of the local American Legion. She enjoyed going on “trips” with the Nifty Fifty’s and the luncheons with the ladies from the Red Hats. She loved playing cards with her surviving siblings and friends. She was a great cook! Her white beans, pork roast and potato salad were always a winner at get-togethers. She made an excellent sno-ball! She was an excellent seamstress and could make and mend clothes. She loved to work in her flower beds and her work reflected it. She will be greatly missed and remembered by her family and friends.

Rowena is preceded in death by her loving husband, Henry E. Mitchell, parents, Eddie J. Adams and Ethel P. Adams, and her siblings, Elson, Hullen, Vincent, and Vesta Adams.

She is survived by her children, Linda S. Mitchell, Marcus E. Mitchell, Eric j. Mitchell, and Michael H. Mitchell, grandchildren, David DelValle, Meghan Duplessis, Colin Mitchell, Johnathan Mitchell, and Elise Landry, and great-grandchildren, Conner DelValle, Chanelle Duplessis, Colette Duplessis, Willa Mitchell, Estelle Mitchell, Molly Landry, Mitchell Landry, and Miles Landry. She is also survived by her brothers, Darrell, Kelly, and Ted Adams, and sisters, Peggy Howes, Annette Annison, and Helen Muller.

An inurnment will be held at St. Charles Borromeo Cemetery in Destrehan, LA on October 26, 2024 at 11AM.