CASTE HAYNE — JoAnn Mitchell, age 76, of Castle Hayne, NC, passed away on February 10, 2025 after a short battle with cancer.
A native New-Yorker, JoAnn was born May 7, 1948 to John and Mary Nagy in Manhattan, NY. She attended Bishop Riley High School, graduating in 1966 and went on to attend Fordham University, graduating with a degree in Russian Studies in 1970. JoAnn continued her studies and received her Masters’ Degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1971.
As a freshman in college, JoAnn met her future husband, James Mitchell, who took her out to a Mamas and Papas concert, and Peter, Paul and Mary concert, as their first and second dates, respectively. After marriage in the Fordham University Chapel in 1972, JoAnn and James spent the first 10 years of their 52 year marriage traveling, attending concerts, and dining out before they had two children – Christopher and Dana.
In 1988, JoAnn and her family moved to Somers, NY, where they spent almost three decades hosting parties on their beautiful deck, spending time with neighbors, participating in community clubs and her church, and raising their children. While living in Somers, JoAnn took great pleasure in riding Metro North Railroad to and from New York City to pursue her career, and loved telling tales of peculiar and comical encounters on the NYC subway.
JoAnn excelled in her professional career, earning the position as director of editorial services at Research Institute of America. JoAnn’s professional expertise also took her to a prominent position at Oxford University Press, and attendance at conferences in Barcelona and Vancouver.
Other highlights of JoAnn’s life were completing was the New York City Marathon in 1980, traveling to Russia twice (1971 and 2016), and attending numerous Broadway shows, including her most recent, a one-on-one experience with her oldest grandson (Everhett, 3 years old) to see Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, in November 2024.
In 2022, JoAnn moved to North Carolina, to shift her focus to be a full-time grandmother and help raise her three young grandsons. While being an active member in her communities’ mahjong and canasta clubs, JoAnn worked on furnishing her new home and especially loved when her kitchen or dining table was full of family and friends. While her time in North Carolina was cut short, JoAnn’s grandsons were the light of her life and she imparted many valuable life lessons on them, such as making sure they understood that cake should always be paired with ice cream, movies are best viewed next to an outdoor fireplace, and baths are best in pool-sized tubs with lots of toys.
JoAnn was predeceased by her parents, John and Mary Nagy. She is survived by her husband, James Mitchell, son, Christopher Mitchell, daughter, Dana O’Donnell (Andrew), her grandchildren, Everhett O’Donnell, Ryatt O’Donnell and Jameson O’Donnell, many wonderful nieces, nephews and cousins, and countless friends, especially Sarah and Kathleen Phelan.
A celebration of life will be held April 5, 2025 from 3- 5 PM at the Mitchell’s residence.
