George W. Mitchell, Jr.

George W. Mitchell, Jr. died at home with his family on October 20, 2012, from pneumonia. At the time of his death, Dr. Mitchell was an emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas and a Professor Emeritus at Tufts University School of Medicine. A medical society was named in his honor at Tufts. Dr. Mitchell was born on April 30, 1917, in Baltimore, Maryland, to George W. Mitchell, M.D. and Katharyne Diggs Mitchell. He attended Gilman School and Baltimore City College before attending Johns Hopkins University. He received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Hopkins, and also received his postgraduate training at Hopkins, completing an internship and residency in obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Mitchell served in the United States Navy during the Second World War as a medical officer on the U.S.S. Biloxi. Following the war, he continued in the naval reserves and was an advisor to the Surgeon General of the Navy. He received the Distinguished Public Service Award for his service to the Navy. Dr. Mitchell was an instructor at Hopkins before moving to Boston in 1950 and taking a position as a Professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. In 1957, he was appointed the chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tufts and served in that position until 1981. Upon retiring from Tufts, he took a position as a Professor at the UTHSCSA until 1988, and continued his work at UTHSCSA until he retired from the practice of medicine at the age of 75. Dr. Mitchell was a passionate physician and teacher, taking his greatest professional pleasure from teaching medical students and residents for over 45 years. He was the recipient of many teaching awards and was proud of the accomplishments of his students who went on to take professional leadership positions in academic and clinical medicine. Many former residents kept in contact with Dr. Mitchell up until the time of his death. Dr. Mitchell was the author of over 100 peer reviewed publications and the recipient of many professional awards and honors. Dr. Mitchell was also a member of numerous medical and professional organizations, serving in a leadership role in many of them, most notably as the President of the American Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1980. Dr. Mitchell is survived by his dear wife, Beth, with whom he shared a love of travel, music, books and conversation. During their marriage, they traveled to the four corners of the world, enjoying everything from sailing down the Nile in Egypt to standing on the Great Wall of China. Beth and George, as they were known to their many friends, had a deep and enduring love. Dr. Mitchell is also survived by his six children, Beverly, George (Tony), Anne (Jinx), Edward (Ned), Bruce and Katharyne, a nephew, Doug, and by fourteen grandchildren, all of whom he loved deeply and with whom he corresponded regularly up until the day of his death. Dr. Mitchell will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and colleagues, who are comforted by the knowledge that his was a life well lived. A private service for family will be held in Baltimore, MD.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be sent to National Public Radio, http://www.npr.org/.