Mrs. Barbara Jean Mitchell

DON’T GRIEVE –BUT GLORY! Prayers You May Want To Pray

Our loved ones who have died in the Lord are Thank you, God, for Your ever-present sanctuary
far better off in the joy of Christ’s presence than if they of love and joy and peace within my heart.
had remained on earth (Phil. 1:23). Therefore, we
should not wallow in sorrow until we are weak from I surrender myself to You, God. Fill me with Your
self-pity. Yes, we may grieve over our deep personal presence as I listen in the Silence.
loss, but lift our eyes heavenward, where they are
enjoying unending delights and are no longer troubled Holy Presence within me. I am willing to release
by this sinful world. The Homecoming of His saints is all feelings of hurt and anger and resentment.
precious to the Lord, and we should not selfishly want Help me know true forgiveness and see each
to keep them from His company. Let’s rejoice that the person as part of You.
Savior has brought them safely to Glory and that He
will return to reunite us with them in Heaven’s eternal Great Spirit of this universe, how glorious are
day. Your ways. My human mind cannot fully grasp
the magnitude of all You are. Thank you for the
Once when I was thinking of the time when I safety of Your guiding presence—wherever I am,
would depart this life and go to be with Christ, I whatever I do.
penned this bit of verse entitled, “I’ve Climbed the Golden
Stair”: “When I have heard the heavenly choir/ And left this Thank you, God, for the growing awareness of
temporal shore./ I’ll thrill with rapture here unknown/ As who I am. You have created me to express You. I
Jesus I adore./ Old friends I’ve known long years ago/ Will make the commitment today to be Your hands,
bid me welcome Home;/ Delighted in that bliss I’ll rest,/ This Your voice, Your heart.
earth no more to roam./ What joy will be my portion then/
All free from sin and pain!/ With death forever past for me,/ I choose this day to serve God—to let love radiate
Don’t wish me back again./ When you see this old shell of to all people and to be an inspiration to others. My
mine,/ Don’t think that I am there;/ I’ve traveled on to live only prayer is to know God.
with God--/ I’ve climbed the golden stair!”
Gentle Spirit, I have heard Your call. I feel You
Bereaved Christian, concentrate on the drawing me closer to the realization of Your
happiness your loved one is experiencing right now presence in my life. I hunger to know You more.
with Jesus. Don’t grieve in faithless despair. Bravely I want to love You more and serve You More.
wipe the tears from your eyes and rejoice! Show me the way. God, for I am ready.

When I have gone, remember I’m with Jesus; CELEBRATING HER SPIRIT
Then do not grieve because I’ve passed away;
Life holds so many trials and disappointments, HONORING HER LIFE

And will you weep because I did not stay?

Acknowledgement

With great sincerity and appreciation for all prayers and acts of kindness Mrs. Barbara Jean Mitchell
during this time of bereavement.

Sunrise: Sunset:
December 18, 1940 November 23, 2021

Reflections of Her Life Tributes to Our Mother

“But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, I Miss You…
When I was little, I remember how you’d love to sing and dance to Aretha Franklin. You were so
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-25 young and full of life then. I wish those days didn’t have to end…
Nevertheless, I thank God for the time we did have together. It was an honor to have known you,
Barbara (Jean) Mitchell went home to Heaven (Tuesday morning) November 23, 2021, while and I look forward to seeing you again in heaven with Jesus someday…
sleeping at home in Canton, Georgia. She had moved there in (2015) to be closer to her family. You were the best mother I could ever have… I will never forget you. I love you for what you’ve
Her health had been in decline, and she would eventually succumb to her fate one month before done for me as a child and as an adult. You meant the world to me…
Thank you for giving me life and showing me how to be a decent person. You taught me
her eighty-first birthday. everything that I needed to know and hope that I made you proud.
Finally, thank you for the love and wonderful memories. I’ll cherish them forever because…
Life began for her December 18th, 1940, in Ruston, Louisiana, as the (first) daughter of Jesse and I miss you.
Gladys Thomas. At 2 yrs. of age, her father moved her and the family to St. Louis, Missouri. Your Loving Son,
There she would eventually attend city public schools and graduate from Sumner High School Joseph B Mitchell Jr
in (1959). After completing high school, Barbara J (Thomas) continued her education at Harris
Teacher’s College where she earned her Associate in Arts Degree in (1961). In (1963) she married SPECIAL THANKS TO MY DEAR MOTHER
Joseph B. Mitchell, Sr., with whom she had her only son and daughter. Mom, I just want you to know how grateful I am to have had you as my mother; and to God to,
for making that possible. Dear mother I’ll miss you terribly, but God wanted you to come home
She was a Medical Records Director at (Grace Hill Health) when she retired in 2006. Her to Heaven to be near Him. Free from all the pain in your physical body. My prayer is that now
colleagues looked upon her as a fair and trustworthy person, who worked long hours to affect you’re at peace and that we’ll see each other in Heaven again.
a positive change in the health information management community, raising two children while Your Loving Daughter,
accomplishing professional goals along the way. She eventually went back to school and earned Yvette J Mitchell
a Bachelor of Arts Degree in (1986) from Stephens College, Columbia, MO.

Barbara was a believer in Jesus Christ. She was baptized into faith as a young child at Scruggs
Memorial CME Church and would later become a member of Jamison Memorial CME Church.
Her (father) Jesse O. Thomas; (mother) Gladys M. Thomas; and (friend) Louise Morgan,
preceded her in death.

She leaves a (son) Joseph B. Mitchell, Jr. and a (daughter) Yvette J Mitchell: (grandson) Joseph
C. Mitchell; and a (great granddaughter) Cloe A. Goodwin. She also leaves a (sister) Belle E.
Thomas, an ex-husband, Joseph B. Mitchell, Sr., and a host of former co-workers, friends, and
relatives. She will be remembered as a gentle, kind, and tender spirit, who enjoyed listening to
music, playing the piano, singing in the church choir, and writing stories she hoped to publish
someday.

A graveside ceremony was held for Ms. Mitchell, November 29, 2021, in Acworth, GA, where
family and friends expressed their heart-felt memories of Barbara while comforting one another
in her presence for the last time. Her children appreciate those who were able to come and
extends a special thanks to the ladies who helped take care of her, the support staff at Amedisys
Hospice, and Pastor Troy Knox for the eulogy and sermonette; Gerald Anderson, David Hebron,
and Lamar Lyons who assisted as pallbearers. They’re requesting future tribute be made to St.
Jude Children’s Hospital, it was their mother’s favorite charity. May God receive the glory…