Obituary of Eileen P. Smith Mitchell

Eileen Phyllis (McGinnis) Smith Mitchell passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 30, 2017 at the Norwich Nursing and Rehabilitation Center after a brief illness. She was predeceased by her parents Beryl and Maurice McGinnis; her sister Connie Britton; and her first husband Elmer G. Smith. She is survived by her loving husband Gerald Mitchell and her dearly loved son Mark Collin Smith (Cathy Tanner) Afton, NY; daughter-in-law Morgan Pickands (James) Doylestown, PA; grandchildren, Jason W. Smith (Angela) Carlisle, PA; Jill L. Kahlenberg, Warrington, PA; and great-grandchildren, Jason, Nathan, Rachael, Jessica, Mary, Michael, and John Smith; Ashlyn and Halle Kahlenberg; extended family Richard and Marilyn Wyant, Sunapee, NH; dearly loved "second family" Michael and Holly Lurenz, Binghamton, NY; nephews, Cody Britton, Dunkirk, NY and Sequoia Britton, Winchester, VA; special friends, the Harris family, Harpursville, NY; Martin Munoz, Grand Gorge, NY, and Urs Zangger, Fair Play, CA; and her beloved cats and dogs. Eileen was born and raised in Bainbridge, New York and graduated from Bainbridge High School, Class of 1954. She lived and worked in Bainbridge all her life and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bainbridge. She was known for her thoughtful, caring nature and cheerful demeanor; her secretarial and advertising skills in the community; she was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She enjoyed traveling, especially to the Jersey shore, and in recent years she and her husband Gerald were active officers in the Algonquin Antique Auto Club. She frequently attended car shows and auctions and cherished traveling to Gerald's United States Navy reunions. She also enjoyed going on cruises, gardening, reading, and attending musical performances; especially concerts by the Southerntiersmen Barbershop Chorus. The family wishes to thank her medical caregivers and offer a note of special gratitude to neighbor Tom Frawley for his many years of helping with the driveway and various other needs. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, May 8, 2017 at the First Baptist Church, Bainbridge. Private committal services will be held in Greenlawn Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in Eileen's memory to First Baptist Church, Bainbridge. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family online at www.landersfh.com. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of C.H. Landers Funeral Chapel, Sidney, NY.