Mrs. Geraldine Mitchell

Mrs. Geraldine Mitchell, 90, of Peoria, Illinois passed away peacefully on Monday, January 19, 2015 at her home. Geraldine Mitchell was born February 8, 1924 in Galesburg, Illinois to Samuel and Mary (Crossland) Hall. Mrs. Mitchell was deeply committed to serve mankind and feels her greatest service was to God. She was widowed May of 1978 after 37 years of marriage to Bertrand Mitchell, Sr. and was a proud mother of four children, Rosemary, Gloria, Bertrand, Jr., and Clifton. She felt especially proud to have graduated as a nontraditional student from Northeastern Illinois University in 1986 with a B.A. Degree in public administration and financial development at 62 years of age. Geraldine Mitchell was a tireless advocate throughout her years of service to the Peoria community. Mrs. Mitchell would say that she didn’t do anything more than her mother did when she was a child growing up in Galesburg. She received numerous plaques and service awards for outstanding charitable works, for community leadership, for personal commitment, for being a positive role model, for standing for principles of caring and sharing through tough love, for fighting for the betterment of the quality of life for all people, and for being a wise mother to her four children and many other people who have come to her for guidance, teaching, support and love. Mrs. Mitchell served as commissioner for the Peoria Housing Authority and worked with residents for 30 years and served concurrently on the YWCA Board. She led a team of YWCA women to fund raise and was instrumental in the opening of the Marion Brown Day Care Center at Taft Homes. While on the PHA she took a contingency of residents and other Peorians to meet with Jack Kemp in Washington D.C. to discuss public housing issues with HUD. When she retired from Talman Home Federal after 21 years of service, she became executive director of Jubilee Homes, Inc. (1988 – 2006). In 1996 the 72-year-old chairwoman of the PHA was flown to New York to appear on Geraldo Rivera to share her perspectives about child rearing. She was awarded the Alvira B. Long Memorial Award at the North Central Regional Council of the National Association of Housing Redevelopment April 14, 2002 for 12 years of service as a commissioner with the Peoria Housing Authority. Mitchell has served broadly in the community and was inducted into the African American Hall of Fame for Human Rights in 1991. Other areas of service or awards are as follows: President, Peoria County Board of Health 1984 - 1989; President, Lincoln Elementary School Parent Teacher Association; Vice President, Roosevelt Jr. High Parent Teacher Association; Vice Chairman, Parent Association, Peoria High School; Secretary, Romeo B. Garrett Scholarship Award at Bradley University; Advisory Board, Western Illinois University; President, Women’s Aid and Charity Club; Political Advisor for Business & Professional Women’s Club; Consultant to River Valley Bank - recruiter for Community Home Buyer’s Program; Member, American Association of University Women, Trustee & Social Director for B’nai B’rith Covenant House, Juvenile Advisor for the Illinois Department of Corrections; Trustee Hult Education Board; Selective Service Board member for 20 years; Recipient Jefferson Award for outstanding community achievement; Recipient Phoenix Award for the Black Volunteer of the Year (1992); 1999 Public Citizen of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter; WPEO Senior Citizen Award (June 18,1999); Eliza Pindell Community Service Award by YWCA of Peoria (2000); Elected Official Peoria County Board (1980- 1982); Board Member Service Award Tri-County Regional Planning Commission ( 1981-1982); Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major Award from the Southside Pastor’s Association (January, 1987); Certificate of Life Membership National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (March, 2009); National Urban League Award of Merit/ Tri-County Urban League - Peoria (April 17,2010); 14 years 69th Precinct Committee woman; President Peoria County Republican Women’s Club; Board Member Renaissance Stand for 20 years; Appointed by Governor Edgar to the Governor’s Conference for Housing, served on the Peoria Police Commission; Peoria Kiwanis Club Member; Eastern Star Worthy Matron and Member; Zion Baptist Church honored for 67 years of membership and had currently served on the Altar Guild. At age 82 she began a blanket ministry with Jubilee Ministries and had personally made and donated over 100 blankets for babies to St. Francis Hospital, Methodist Hospital, and Proctor Hospital. A personal endorsement of her service to the community reads as follows: Mrs. Mitchell has given many, many years to serving as a community advocate, a minority advocate, and an advocate to less advantaged citizens, and to humanity as a whole. She served as an outstanding role model and an inspiration to African American women and men. Her energy and commitment are unparalleled. Geraldine Mitchell leaves to cherish her most precious memories her loving and devoted family which includes her children; Rosemary McCullough of Peoria, Gloria (James) Oliver of Maumee, OH, Bertrand Mitchell, Jr., and Clifton John Mitchell both of Peoria; four grandchildren, Frederick Derk McCullough of Cincinnati, OH, Randal (Tamara) Oliver of Troy, OH, Lisa Renee Mitchell of Atlanta, GA and Lory Monique Mitchell of Austin, TX; three great grandchildren, Legend Mitchell, Lia Mitchell and Lauryn Jackson; two sisters, Louise Porter of Antioch, TN and Betty (Don) Lawton of Galesburg, IL; one brother, Rolland Hall of Galesburg; a host of nieces, nephews, friends, her Zion Baptist Church Family; her special caregiver, Beatrice Gulley and her beloved Peoria Community. She is also preceded in death by her parents, Samuel and Mary Hall; sisters, Willabell Williams and Dr. Mary Hall Yearby; brothers, Samuel Hall, Sr., and John Hall, Sr. A Celebration of Life Service for Mrs. Geraldine Mitchell will be held at 12:00 Noon on Friday, January 23, 2015 at St. Paul Baptist Church with a two hour visitation beginning at 10:00 AM. Rev. Deveraux Hubbard, Host Pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church will officiate. Rev. Samuel Duren, Mrs. Mitchell’s Pastor of Zion Baptist Church, will officiate. Mrs. Mitchell will be laid to rest at Swan Lake Memory Gardens. Simons Mortuary has been entrusted with arrangements. Online condolences may be made at simonsmortuary.com.

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Mrs. Geraldine Mitchell

February 8, 1924 - January 19, 2015