Margaret "Frances" Mitchell

A beloved wife and mother, Margaret Frances (Fran) Mitchell, 95, died at home in Austin, TX on June 8, 2026. Fran was born on October 23, 1930, in Syracuse, NY, to Michael Dowling and Margaret Hughes, into a lively, extended Irish Catholic family. She spent her summers at Selkirk Shores State Park, where she became an excellent swimmer and certified lifeguard. She and her sisters enjoyed sneaking into Saturday matinees at their uncle’s movie theatre.

Fran graduated in 1946 from Most Holy Rosary High School, where she was voted “Most Likeable.” During high school, she worked at the House of Providence, a home for boys. After graduation, she attended and worked at Syracuse University, and later at the Syracuse Herald-Journal, the Syracuse Broadcasting Co., and Porter-Cable Rockwell.

Fran married Michael J. Mitchell in 1956, after his service in the U.S. Navy. Mike’s employment for IBM in New York led them to Woodstock, New City, and Kingston (Zena), and, in 1976, to Austin, TX. Fran and Mike had six children, which Fran called “a full time career.” Fran and Mike celebrated their 70th anniversary in April and are members of St. Louis Catholic Church.

While her kids grew up, Fran served in community roles, including election inspector, public relations chairwoman for the League of Women Voters, publicity volunteer for the March of Dimes, along with PTA and Little League booster club work. In 1974 she began taking community college courses and eventually completed a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from St. Edward’s University New College program in 1989, at the age of 59.

She worked in the Community Relations office of Seton Medical Center and for the Texas Association of Family Physicians. In her free time, she was a voracious reader, online genealogy enthusiast and lap swimmer with friends at Westover Hills Club.

Fran is survived by her husband, Michael Mitchell, her children Claire Jenkins (Rob), Mary Proctor, Michael Mitchell Jr., Joe Mitchell, Robert Mitchell (Sharon) and Tricia Mitchell Kim (Bernard). She is also survived by grandchildren Sean Mitchell, Michelle Proctor, Colin Jenkins, and Benjamin and Amanda Kim, and by great-grandchildren Solveigh and Lochlon Mitchell.

She is preceded in death by her parents and three sisters, Sheila Dowling, Patricia Fairbank, and Rose Marie Schuler, as well as her son-in-law, Mark Proctor.

Fran will be remembered for her cheerfulness, curiosity, gift of gab, potato salad recipe, forgiving heart, longstanding friendships, and devotion to her family. She loved children, music, good novels and journalism, and being near water. In lieu of flowers, which made her sneeze, please have a cup of tea with people you care about. Fran always thought a cup of tea could solve most of the world’s problems.

Scheduled services are pending.