Ellen Roxane Mitchell

Roxane “Riki” Harrison Mitchell of Williamsburg passed away peacefully on April 23rd. She was predeceased by her parents, Pinckney and Nell Harrison; her husband, Bob Mitchell; and her brother, Jimmy Harrison. She is survived by her four children and their spouses: Rob and Betsy Mitchell of Richmond; Kathy and Cabell Williams of Bethesda, MD; Sally and Steven Cordovano of Rowayton, CT; and Ed and Katherine Mitchell of Richmond. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren and two great grandsons.

Riki, affectionately known by her family as “Grandma Riki,” was the center and glue of her large and loving family, who convened often at the family farm, Dogham, especially for Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve; and at Debordieu Beach in Georgetown, SC, every summer. Riki was born October 4, 1930 and was raised in the Richmond fan district and at Dogham Farm in Charles City County. She attended The Collegiate School and Bennet College in New York. In 1951, she married Bob and after his tour in the U.S. Navy, they settled first in Richmond, and then New York City, followed by Connecticut where she dedicated her life to raising her four children. She spent considerable energy on volunteer activities, most notably Nathaniel Witherell, a nursing home, and numerous events at her children’s schools. When the last of their children left for college, Riki and Bob moved to Georgetown, SC where they both established active lives with Prince George Winyah Episcopal Church, Historic Rice Fields Foundation, and various community organizations. After Bob’s death in 2000, Riki moved to Williamsburg and lovingly continued her volunteer work as a mentor in the local elementary school and at Williamsburg Landing where she lived. She was particularly well known for her weekly distribution of flowers around the Landing, which often came from her garden at Dogham. She also devoted herself to the weekly Vespers program. Although she worked hard to avoid the limelight, she was nevertheless recognized by the Virginia Gazette for her community service and also by Williamsburg Landing, where in 2016 they established the Roxane Mitchell Volunteer Award, which is given annually to volunteers at Williamsburg Landing.

Her funeral will be held at Westover Church in Charles City on Sunday, April 30th at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to contribute to Westover Episcopal Church (www.westoverepiscopalchurch.org/) or Heifer International® - Ending Hunger And Poverty (www.heifer.org). Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.nelsencares.com.

Arrangements under the direction of Nelsen Williamsburg, Williamsburg, VA.