- Date Of Birth: November 12, 1929
- Date Of Death: June 3, 2015
- State: Maryland
Joseph Detter Mitchell, better known as Joe, departed this life on Wednesday, June 3, 2015 after a long illness. Joe was born in Washington, D.C. on November 12, 1929, the third of six sons and one foster son to the late Charles Everett Mitchell and the late Bertha Detter Mitchell.
He had an avid love of most sports, including basketball, baseball, golf, hunting, fishing and bowling. He attended Armstrong High School and after graduation in 1947, he became a barnstormer in the Negro Baseball Leagues; a 6’4″ left-handed pitcher whose fast ball was described as “lightning” fast. He was said to be the first African American to hit a home run in Clark Griffith Stadium. An injury to his arm brought an early end to that career when he was 19, but not to his love of baseball. For years he and his brothers spent Sundays together watching his beloved Washington Senators/Nationals and the Redskins.
Afterwards, Joe’s sports passion turned to golf, becoming a scratch golfer. While working as a postal carrier, he often got in a practice session or round of golf after work and before heading home to his family. His retirement from the U.S. Postal Service meant he had more time to devote to golf. When he wasn’t playing golf, he was repairing golf clubs for friends or working as a starter at the golf course.
His first marriage to the late Irene Elizabeth Sidney Mitchell was blessed with a son, Ronald Vincent Mitchell aka Saleem and a daughter, Tajuana Patricia (Mitchell) Stephenson.
Joe also loved to cook, sharing favorite gourmet recipes with his family and recently challenging a friend to a gumbo cook-off. He enjoyed listening to music, and he once appeared on television singing in a quartet. He also was a skilled artist.
Joe was preceded in death by his wife, Inez Dale Pullen Mitchell, and by his brothers George, Carlos, Thomas and Paul Mitchell, and George Green. He is survived by his brother, Anthony Mitchell (Dorothy); his daughter, Tajuana Stephenson (Sam); his son, Saleem Muwwakkil (Jihada); four grandsons, La-mar (Monica), Kamal, Tajjiddin and Mikal; four granddaughters, Aiesha, Aneesah (Maurice), Sakeenah and Shairah; seven great-grandchildren, Kaia, Javonn, Inaya, Devin, Deja, Maurice Jr. and Chloe; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. His memory will live on forever in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.
