Evelyn Mitchell Celebrates 90 Years Old
In the mist of the resent pandemic, many of us may feel as though we don't have much to celebrate but Grand Rapids native Evelyn Mitchell recently celebrated her 90th birthday.
Mrs. Mitchell is originally from Athens, Tennessee. She was raised by her grand mother. At the age of eighteen, she graduated from high school and moved to Grand Rapids to live with her mother who had already moved to the city.
She got a job at a women's store clothing store in downtown Grand Rapids. She then found work at Jacobson's, which was a larger clothing store.
Mitchell then found work at St. Mary's hospital as an elevator operator.
"Elevator operator jobs were very popular in the city back then," said Mitchell. "I can remember working in place of someone while they went on vacation as an Elevator Operator for two weeks at the Pantlind Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids."
After working in the hospital environment she landed a job at General Motors, where she worked for thirty years before retiring.
She was married early on after moving to the city for nine-teen years before divorcing.
Two children were born from the marriage, Tisha and Fred.
She was a long-term member of the American Legion and is currently a member of the Cruisers Club.
Before the current pandemic, Mrs. Mitchell enjoyed traveling and to places that she always wanted to go to. She has traveled from New York to Hawaii and looks forward to possibly doing even more traveling when it is safe to travel again.
Although the pandemic has been stressful on most of us, Mrs. Mitchell is very grateful for her family.
"I still have cousins, nieces, great nieces and nephews in Tennessee and I have a lot of relatives here in Grand Rapids.
She received a lot of phone calls from friends and relatives wishing her a 'Happy 90th Birthday'. She also received over one hundred happy birthdays and out pouring of love on her son's Facebook page.
"A lot of the people who responded on Facebook were relatives from Tennessee, Michigan and other people that I know from around the country," she said. "It made me feel good to see how many people took the time out of their day to wish me a happy birthday. I felt very special."
Although she spent her birthday at her home, she was not by herself on her special day.
"I had some relatives who came to celebrate with me at my apartment," said Mrs. Mitchell. "We had a birthday cake and a little to eat. They wanted to go out to eat, but I turned it down but I really enjoyed it."
She was also very thankful for the out pour of younger family members who live out of town.
"All of my nieces who live out of town sent me so many flowers that it looked like a funeral at my house and it kind of scared me," she said jokingly.
The Grand Rapids Times would like to wish a very Happy 90th Birthday to Mrs. Evelyn Mitchell, may you have many more birthdays to come.
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