- Date Of Birth: March 9, 1949
- Date Of Death: October 22, 2021
- State: Arizona
Kathleen “Sue” Mitchell lived a full and meaningful life. She followed laws and pushed boundaries. She loved hard and laughed frequently. Her sense of adventure was aptly paired with precisely zero sense of direction. And since she loved a good story, it never phased her that, according to her “9 out of 10 times I will turn left when I was supposed to turn right.” Getting lost was just part of the fun. Nothing delighted her more than an ordinary moment transforming into an extraordinary memory or story.
She was born on March 9, 1949 to Garwoord and Margaret Ferris in Appleton, Wisconsin. Graduating from Menasha High School in 1967, she attended University of Wisconsin — Stevens Point before answering the call to serve her country. She joined the Air Force in 1969, a decision she often referred to as “one of the best decisions of my life.” Soon she met fellow Air Traffic Controller and the love of her life Joseph “Brad” Bradford Mitchell. They married on October 16, 1971. Her advice for a successful marriage was “marry someone you have nothing in common with. It keeps things interesting.” Much to the horror of their children, they were often seen kissing and holding hands during the course of their 50 year marriage.
She was the first woman Air Traffic Controller at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. Following her time in the military, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business from University of Nebraska at Omaha and then an associates degree from Lane Community College in Oregon.
Sue and Brad had three children. In 1984, they moved their family from Eugene, Oregon to Watertown, South Dakota. They started a side business of raising quail for Brad’s falconry hobby. This eventually turned into Mitchell’s Quail, the family business husband and wife ran for almost 30 years. Though if she had to rank order her dislikes, birds would be at the top (see above for marriage advice), she was very proud of owning and running a business. She always said “it’s amazing what you can do to earn a buck in this country.” She had an entrepreneurial spirit coupled with endless pride in her country. The business allowed her to be an ever present parent for her three kids. There was never an event or moment she missed. She was known affectionately by her children’s friends as Momma Sue.
In 2014, Brad and Sue ventured south and moved to Sierra Vista, Arizona. She spent her free time as a political advocate. Over the course of her lifetime she dedicated endless hours to serving the GOP in various positions. She was on a first name basis with many prominent Republican politicians. Her last formal post was as the Chair of the Cochise County Republican Committee from 2017-2018.
She passed on October 22nd surrounded by her loving husband and children. Her death was unexpected and leaves a hole in many hearts. She is survived by her husband Brad Mitchell; three children Emily (Gabe) Johnson, Katy (Bill Merz) Mitchell, Nathan (Jennifer) Mitchell; nine grandchildren; sister Peggy (Bob) Lemale; two nieces; and many friends.
