- Date Of Birth: August 3, 1923
- Date Of Death: January 8, 2014
- State: Colorado
Merceda Eloyce Mitchelle was born on August 3, 1923, in Palatka, Florida to her parents, James William Roberts and Mabel Alderman Roberts. She was the second child born in the family. She was blessed to have one brother, James and a sister, Gloria who died when she was only three years old. Merceda received her formal education in Palatka, Florida, where she graduated from Central Academy. She furthered her education attending Florida A&M University located in Tallahassee, Florida. She earned her Bachelors of Art Degree in Nursing while in college. On December 1, 1950, Merceda united in holy matrimony to Lucius M. Mitchelle in Tuskegee, Alabama. Lucius was serving in the United States Air Force when they met. They relocated to Okinawa, Japan and in 1964, they settled in Denver, Colorado. Lucius and Merceda adopted and became the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl, named Carolyn. Carolyn was able to stay in contact with her biological sister, Doris Dean. Merceda welcomed Doris and treated her like a daughter. Merceda was a devoted and loving wife, mother and friend. Nothing was more important than the care and nurture of her family. She was later blessed with 2 grandchildren, Shaun and Benjamin and 8 great grandchildren, who were all an additional source of joy and pride in her life. They affectionately called her “GG Mama.” Merceda was preceded in death by her grandson, Shaun in 1997; and her husband Lucius in 2002. By profession, Merceda was employed in the nursing field as a Registered Nurse. While residing in Amarillo, Texas, she was the first African American woman to be appointed Head Nurse of a Psychiatric Unit. When she relocated to Denver, Colorado, she took the position of Psychiatric Head Nurse for the Veteran’s Administration Hospital. She was awarded numerous awards and certificates for her hard work and dedication. She was admired by her colleagues and respected by the patients placed in her charge.
