Vivian Frances Mitchell

Vivian Frances Greene Mitchell passed away on June 14, 2025. Born on August 14, 1923, she witnessed the majority of important events in the 20th Century —the 1929 Stock Market Crash, the Great Depression, World War II, antibiotics and vaccines, the Cold War, flying abroad for pleasure, and the rise of the United States, often now termed “The American Century.”

She is survived by her nieces, Donna Sabin (Bob) and Deborah Greene, as well as her great nieces, Kelly Sabin Erenfried (Kelland) and Wendy Sabin Kendall (Robert) and their children, Megan Erenfried, Alec Erenfried, Nicholas Kendall, and Drew Seminuk. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law, Cheryl Washer, along with many, many friends. Her brother Fred A. Greene, Jr. (Odessa), her husband, Arthur Mitchell and both of her children, Susan L. Mitchell and Wayne H. Mitchell, predeceased her.

Culpeper, Virginia was where she was born and the long time home of her family, who settled there as early as the 18th Century. Family members fought in the US Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the US Civil War, and World War II. Her family rode the stresses of the 20th Century in small town agricultural America, surviving multiple farm crises, the Influenza epidemic of 1919, and the Depression. Her family was active and entrepreneurial, with her grandmother moving to Washington, DC during the 1940s in order to run a boarding house for the many federal employees required for World War II.

Living in Washington, DC during the 1950s after graduating from Strayer Business School, she met her husband, Arthur Mitchell, at a dance while he was in the US Air Force Reserve (he served in the US Navy during WWII, stationed in the Pacific). Arthur gained a graduate degree in Education at George Washington University through the GI Bill, and after they married and their first child, Wayne, was born in 1956, they settled in a house designed by Arthur located in the new suburb of Springfield, VA. There they had many friends who had also moved into the cul-de-sac and had card games and parties. All of their young children formed a gang who played together, went to the same schools, and frolicked in the backyard pool Arthur had built.

While Arthur found long term work in the Fairfax County, VA School system, becoming an Elementary School Principal, Vivian attended to their family, yet also continued to work as an assistant at a long time DC insurance firm, H.G. Gabriel Murphy, from which she retired in the 1990s.

Aside from her neighbors, friends, and family, Vivian found time to fulfill her energetic nature by working with the newly developed Springfield United Methodist Church, a short walk from her home. She and her husband were member of the United Methodist Men and Women and taught Sunday School at many levels, including adult Sunday School. After their daughter died in an automobile accident, she and Arthur gifted the Church with a commemoration garden called the Garden of Love (which exists today). She continued to be a greeter at services until her health did not permit; even now she is remembered with respect, fondness and love by those within the Church.

She moved to Greenspring Village from her home of many decades, where she made new friends and was much beloved. She was active in independent living with many friends, many friends who met regularly for dinner. Time and health dictated her move to Assisted Living in 2023, where she made new friends among the staff and residents. She continued to maintain her kind and sweet nature despite the loss of her husband and children, smiling at those who cared for her and saying with every new nurse: “Are you my angel for the day?”.

Vivian passed away peacefully just short of her 102th Birthday. Her family expresses gratitude to the staff at Greenspring Village and those from Goodwin Hospice who took care of her during her last weeks, and her friends and church who visited her and gave her sustenance during her last days.

Her favorite charity and second home was the Springfield United Methodist Church (https://sumc-cares.org/give; 7047 Old Keene Mill Rd, Springfield, VA 22150). The family also suggests Greenspring Senior Living Community (7440 Spring Village Dr, Springfield, VA 22150) and Goodwin Hospice (https://goodwinliving.org/giving/;Goodwin Living Foundation, 4800 Fillmore Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22311) for anyone who wishes to honor Vivian’s memory.