Ella Rae Mitchell Mallenbaum

The soul of Ella Mitchell Mallenbaum departed this world on her day of rest, Saturday, February 28,2015 in the presence of her loving and bereaved husband, Victor and daughter, Scarlett. This visibly beautiful woman was home to an even more beautiful soul. Fortunate are those who were privileged to have experienced it. Her acts of love and kindness were boundless. The earth has become a poorer place but heaven is enriched. Ella was born September 17,1943 in Concord, North Carolina to Rachel Ketner Mitchell and Charles Morrison Mitchell who preceded her in death, as did her brother, Steve Mitchell and sister, Marcelyn Ann Mitchell. Ella graduated from Concord High School in 1961 as a member of the National Honor Society. She was awarded a B.A. degree in English by Atlantic Christian College, and went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree and a Master's Degree in Child Development and Family Relations from East Carolina University. She worked as a marriage and family counselor for several years, but then went back to her first love of teaching art to young children. She taught art in the Pitt County School system, and then in Wake County. She seemed to be able to make time for many important things and worked for her political party in Pitt County and even attended a national convention in 1992. She and Dr. Victor Mallenbaum met in April of 1973 and were married three months later in July of 1973 beginning 41 years of ever growing love. They were both single parents and merged two families into a loving, thriving unit. To appreciate her as a mother one can simply meet her children. Ella is survived by her loving husband Dr. Victor Mallenbaum, her children, Dr. Sidney Mallenbaum and wife Rita Mae Mallenbaum, Scarlett Eve Schlitt and husband Michael George Schlitt, Ilana Naomi Litwak and husband Dr. Kenneth Neal Litwak, six grandchildren, one great grandchild, and friends too many to enumerate. She had a genuine and unshakable faith in God and was an active member of Cong. Sha'arei Israel. A funeral service was held on Monday, March 2, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 St. Mary's Street, Raleigh. Burial immediately followed at Raleigh Hebrew Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Ovarian cancer research Fund or Congregation Sha'arei Israel- Lubavitch. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.brownwynnemillbrook.com