J. Donald Mitchell

J. Donald Mitchell of Talbott, TN passed away on April 12, 2019. He was born on April 26, 1929 in Colquitt County Georgia. When he was older, he served in the Army as a sergeant and was stationed in both Japan and Clemson, South Carolina. Don was a graduate of Mercer University and Southern Seminary. Later he became Director of Church Relations at both Mercer and Carson-Newman University. He established Preachers Schools to aide in ministerial training. Over the course of sixty five years, he pastored Southern Baptist Churches in Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee along with his loving wife Mary. Together they worked to build and support churches. He, also, was one of the founding members of the Georgia Baptist Preachers Golf Association, and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Morristown. He is preceded in death by his wife and mother of his children, Mary Mitchell, father, John Whipple Mitchell, mother, Lizzie Hobby Mitchell, sisters Jeffie Mae Bassett and Vera Lucille Mitchell, and brothers, J.W. Mitchell, Roger Mitchell, and Ray Mitchell, as well as a grandson, Hunter Kirkpatrick. He is survived by his sisters, Florene Privette (Cordele, GA) , Ruby Bowermiester (Moultrie, GA), and Frances Lupton (Loganville, GA), his children Donna Cardwell (Brentwood, TN), Carole Kirkpatrick (Fayetteville, PA), Mitch Mitchell (Knoxville, TN), and John Mitchell (Birmingham, AL), his grandchildren Ashley Williams (Jefferson City, TN), Christian Cardwell (Birmingham, AL), Luke Cardwell (Brentwood, TN), Trey Mitchell (Knoxville, TN), Elizabeth Mitchell (Knoxville, TN), Mykayla Mitchell (Birmingham, AL), and his wife, Doris Mitchell. The funeral will be at French Broad Baptist Church on Tuesday, April 16. The viewing will be at 10:00 with a funeral service at 11:00 and Sr. Pastor Dean Haun will officiate. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to one of the following: The Mary B. Mitchell Scholarship for Nursing or the J. Donald Mitchell Ministerial Scholarship both at Carson-Newman University (865) 471-4369.