Bill And Jean Mitchell

Virginia Jean Cox Mitchell

Jean, born July 30, 1931 in Kingman, Kansas, the daughter of James Jehu Cox and Gladys E. (Long) Cox, died March 17, 2023 in Lawrence. She graduated from Kingman High School (1949) and came to K.U. where she was a member of Delta Gamma and graduated from the School of Fine Arts in 1953, being named Outstanding Graduating Senior in Design. Jean was a color artist for Hallmark Cards in Kansas City until her marriage to William Lawrence Mitchell, May 8, 1954, in Kingman. They began their life together at Point Cabrillo Light Station, Mendocino, CA where Bill was stationed in the Coast Guard; after his discharge they returned to Lawrence where Jean ever since was a highly regarded quilter and homemaker. Bill followed her in death 9 days later on March 26 so Jean is survived by their son Cotter and his wife Fadra of Vinland, grandsons Wake and Eli and granddaughters Sylvan and Chesney. She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Joyce Thornberry and Helen M. Hart  and a brother, Marvin M. Cox. No graveside service will be held and her ashes will be in Pioneer Cemetery. A recognition of Jean and Bill’s lives will be held on their 69 ^th anniversary, May 8 ^th from 2-5pm at the Spencer Museum of Art in the Ingrid &J.K. Lee Study Center.  Memorials may be made to the Virginia Jean Cox Mitchell Textiles Fund for the Spencer Museum of art (to which she has given most of her quilts) at the KU Endowment Association, in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.

William Lawrence “Bill” Mitchell

Bill was born 2 June 1932 in Kansas City, MO, the only child of William M. and Donna L. (Adams) Mitchell; he died March 26, 2023 in Lawrence. His wife of 69 years, Virginia Jean Cox Mitchell, preceded Bill in death by nine days on March 17. He is survived by their only son Cotter and his wife Fadra of Vinland, grandsons Wake and Elias, and granddaughters Sylvan and Chesney. Bill attended Corinth Grade School and Shawnee Mission High School (Johnson County) before coming to KU in 1950, where he was a member of Delta Upsilon. While in the Coast Guard, he and Jean were married May 8, 1954 in Kingman, Kansas and began life together in at Point Cabrillo Light Station, Mendocino, CA. After discharge they returned to Lawrence so he could finish what he’d begun at KU; that done, they moved to Urbana, IL where he took a degree in Library Science at the University, then returned to Lawrence and the KU Library. He retired in 1999 after 39+ years, mostly spent in the Kenneth Spencer Research Library. Both Bill and Jean being self-described homebodies simply kept on as before in his retirement, best friends since the lighthouse. A record of his life and interests remains in one of Jean’s quilts: “Bill Willie’s Whirlygig Factotum.” No graveside service will be held. His ashes will be in Pioneer Cemetery with Jean’s. A recognition of Bill and Jean’s lives will be held on their 69 ^th anniversary, May 8 ^th from 2-5pm at the Spencer Museum of Art in the Ingrid &J.K. Lee Study Center. Memorials may be made to the Douglas County Historical Society or the Jean and Bill Mitchell Conservation Laboratory Fund at the KU Endowment Association, in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.