Thomas Alva Mitchell III

Thomas (Tom) Alva Mitchell III, age 63, of Dallas, Texas passed away on March 6, 2016. Tom is survived by his daughter, Amy Mitchell Pooley (David) and his son, Thomas Mitchell, his sisters Diane (Marko Gosar) Mitchell and Cindy (Kevin) Barnett, niece Lauren Barnett, nephew Brett Barnett, and grandson, Henry Pooley. He was preceded in death by his parents, Tom and Ruth Mitchell.

Tom was born August 14, 1952, in Kingsport,Tennessee. He graduated from Dobyns Bennett High School, Kingsport, Tennessee, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he was President of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.

Tom married his college sweetheart Nancy, and they began raising their two children, Amy and Thomas. He stayed active in their childhood, helping with the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, acting as a soccer coach, taking them camping and boating, and shooting pool. At the same time, he joined Nortel Networks, where he would spend the next 26 years of his career working across the growing organization. During this time, he relocated the family to Plano in 1989 and eventually became an executive spearheading Nortel’s global marketing initiatives.

After a short retirement, his passion for leadership led him to become President and CEO of the Texas Back Institute. In recent years, he founded and ran WINGS Ventures LLC, an angel investment company with which he had the opportunity to work with a diverse group of entrepreneurs in the health care, transportation, education, and coffee industries. He particularly enjoyed and excelled in his role as a mentor (officially and unofficially for many friends and family members), teaching entrepreneurs about strategic development, effective marketing, management, and leadership skills.

He was an amazing father, brother, grandfather, uncle, mentor, and friend. A man of high integrity, his hearty laugh was contagious, his wit and intellect hard to beat, and he relished a great meal and conversation in the company of friends and family.

A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, March 14, 2016, at 11:30 a.m. in the chapel at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2700 West Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TX 75023. Flowers may be sent to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church (972-596-5505). In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation in his memory to the charity of your choice.