NELSON E. MITCHELL
Nov. 23, 1939-Oct. 4, 2015
Nelson Erie Mitchell, Goldsboro, died Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015, at Kitty Askins Hospice Center surrounded by his family.
A service celebrating Nelson's life will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015, at New Hope Friends Meeting, with Bill Garner and John Hoeffer officiating.
The family will greet friends following the service in the Family Life Center at the church. Interment will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015, in Pineview Cemetery, N.C. 111 South, Seven Springs.
Nelson was born in Wayne County Nov. 23, 1939, and was the second son of Ruby Mae Price and Paul Erie Mitchell.
He was married for 55-plus years to the former Edith Moore of Goldsboro, and was the father of two sons.
Nelson had a real love of people and a real gift of gab.
He spent his entire career in sales. He worked for the Goldsboro News-Argus from 1964 until his retirement in 1998 as the advertising director.
He loved his church and his community. He believed in giving back. He was a member of Daniels Memorial United Methodist Church for most of his life, where he taught Sunday school, along with his wife, and they were MYF counselors. They wrote and produced more than a dozen Christmas plays that the MYF gladly put on for the church.
He served in most capacities while a member at Daniels Memorial.
He later became a member of New Hope Friends, where he truly found his church home. He became a Sunday school teacher for the young adult class, and wrote and produced more Christmas and Easter productions for the church.
He loved music and love to sing. Nelson joined the choir, and sang with the choir until his health failed in July of this year.
Nelson also was the Meals-on-Wheels coordinator for New Hope Friends. For his work with this program, he was nominated for, and received, the Governor's Award for Volunteerism April 16, 2015.
As a youth, Nelson was a member of Boy Scout Troop 7, sponsored by Daniels Memorial United Methodist Church.
In 1964, he joined Paul Rose as assistant scout master of Troop 7 and became scout master several years later. He loved working with youths, and saw many of his scouts become Eagle Scouts, including his two sons. While he was scout master of Troop 7, he was also cub master of Pack 8 for two years.
Nelson led his troop on three pilgrimages sponsored by the Tuscarora Council. The first was to Bath, N.C., where they hiked 100 miles to show their love for God; the second was a train trip to Washington, D.C., to show their love for country, where they met with President Richard Nixon; and the third, another 100-mile hike to Halifax, N.C.
He was a member of Adamsville Lion's Club for many years, serving in several capacities.
In 1990, Nelson became the second person in Wayne County to have a liver transplant. He was given 25 additional years of a wonderful life.
The night of the transplant, while waiting for the surgery to begin, he prayed, asking God to give him five years so he could see his sons marry and see the birth of a grandchild. The Lord was generous and gave him 25 years; he saw both sons marry and the birth of four grandchildren whom he loved with his whole being.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his son, Michael Erie and wife, Christine; his son, Stephen Paul and wife, Ellen; his grandchildren, Emily Paige, Austin Michael, Erin Kate and Charles Erie.
He is also survived by his brother, James W. Mitchell and wife, Ramona; six nephews; one niece; three great-nieces; three great-nephews; and one great-great-niece.
Nelson's greatest joy was spending time with his family and his grandchildren in particular.
He loved the Lord, and served him all of his life.
Nelson loved people, and loved making them laugh. He always had a joke or funny story to tell. Nelson will be missed by all who knew him.
The family would like to thank his hospice nurse, Brenda Coor, and the entire staff at Kitty Askins Hospice Center for the loving and compassionate care they gave to Nelson.
Flowers are welcome or memorials may be given to Kitty Askins Hospice Center, 107 Handley Park Court, Goldsboro, N.C., 27534, or New Hope Friends Meeting, 4451 U.S. 70 business, Goldsboro, N.C., 27534.
There is now no more pain and suffering. Nelson is safely home in the arms of his Lord, Jesus Christ, where we will see him again one day.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.seymourfuneralhome.com.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on October 6, 2015 1:49 PM