Frank Mitchell

88, El Centro

Frank Hudson (Hud) Mitchell the son of F.H. Red Mitchell and Bess McCready Mitchell was born on December 1, 1929 in El Centro. He died on December 9, 2017 at Cottage View in El Centro where he had lived a year.

A memorial service will be held on January 6, 2018 at 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in El Centro.

Hud attended Eucalyptus School, Harding School and Central Union High School. After graduation in 1948 he attended Imperial Valley College and Chaffey College in Ontario. In 1950 he applied for a summer work camp in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. There he met Margaret Ann Roop from Downingtown, Pennsylvania. They were married in December 1950 and in January 1951, returned to El Centro where Hud immediately went to work at Womack Mitchell Motor Company. Starting as a detailer on the used car lot, he quickly worked his way up to become a salesman where he won many awards. Knowing that he did not want to spend his life in the car business, he worked for a while in insurance sales before turning to real estate. In 1974 he opened the doors to Hud Mitchell Realty. He loved matching people to properties and took great pride in serving his clients.

His love for adventure took him on several trips to Mexico. In the 1950’s. He traveled the length of Baja in an old jeep and once walked through the jungle from Mazatlan to Durango. Later he built a home overlooking the bay in Ensenada where family and friends enjoyed many good times.

After the birth of his children in 1957 the family moved to Orange Avenue and Lenrey St. In 1982 he designed a home to fit on an odd-shaped lot at the Barbara Worth Country where he lived until 2017.

In 1982 he bought a “farm shop” in Holtville and began operating both Hud Mitchell Farm Shop and Hud Mitchell Realty. By 1992 he had sold both businesses and retired. He traveled to 52 countries and kept busy serving as a volunteer at El Centro Regional Medical Center and the local food bank. He was a 67 year member of the El Centro Rotary Club where he worked for the Rotary Foundation.

Hud is survived by his wife of 68 years and his children, Martha Carlsen (Bruce) of Healdsburg, and Mark Mitchell of Holtville; his grandchildren, Megan Carlsen of San Francisco and Matt Mitchell of Imperial; his sister, Ann Mitchell Horne, and his brother, Stephen Mitchell and cousin, Mary Ann Kline.

The family is grateful to Cottage View and Accent Care Hospice for the excellent care they provided.

Memorial gifts may be made to the First United Methodist Church of El Centro or the Alzheimer’s Association.