October 1, 1935 — April 1, 2023
John Louis Mitchell, Sr., 87, of Cleveland, Ohio, passed away in Matthews, North Carolina on April 1, 2023, in the loving presence of his family after fighting Parkison's.
He was born in Cleveland to Ben and Josephine Mitchell, on October 1, 1935. John graduated from Glenville High School and Kent State University with a Bachelor of Science in Education.
As an educator, he spent over 30 years working and serving the Cleveland community at Harry E. Davis Middle School, Woodland Recreation Center, Karamu House, and other African American community organizations.
John is survived by his former wife, Clara Belle Mitchell, and their children, Lillie Gale Mitchell and John Louis Mitchell Jr. (Tenoha); granddaughter Kaisah Evans (David); grandson John Louis Mitchell III; great-grandchildren Keyon, Kamari, Kamiah Mitchell, and Manuel Evans; a brother, Charles Mitchell (LaVerne) and a sister, Lillian Phillips, along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins & friends. He was predeceased by his parents and two brothers, Benjamin Mitchell and Amos Pointer Jr.
John was known for his love of enlightening others about African and African American traditions.
As Elder Mitchell, he introduced adolescents to the Rites of Passage journey through drumming at East End Neighborhood House and National Rites of Passage Institute.
John was also a co-founder of the Passages African Drum Youth Ensemble, which performed and toured locally and nationally. To further extend and share his African drumming knowledge, he published a book Discovering African Drum Rhythms: Volume 1, introducing a systematic and accessible approach to learning basic African rhythm patterns for beginners. One of his life's highlights was when he was in Cameroon, West Africa.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 12:30p at Friendly Inn Settlement House, 2336 Unwin Road, Cleveland [44104].
The family suggests donations to support the Parkinson's Foundation Carolinas Chapter via mail or online in lieu of flowers.
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