William Joseph Mitchell, of the Broadmead Retirement Community in Cockeysville, Maryland and U.S. Air Force Veteran, passed away on Saturday, January 21, 2023. He was 84 years old. William was the beloved husband of Christine M. (nee Gallant) Mitchell; devoted father of Rebecca C. Mitchell, Jean L. Mitchell, and Jennifer A. Mitchell; proud grandfather of Anahi Villar, Angie Ruiz Mitchell and Gabriella Ruiz Mitchell; loving great grandfather of Román Villar.

William was also the dear brother of Linda L. Mitchell, Robert L. Mitchell, David M. Mitchell, David's wife, Conchita Mitchell, and Linda's husband, George Bauserman.

William, who went by the nickname, "Bill", was also the honored step-father of Jeanne Westmoreland and Susan Devaney and the step-grandfather of Luke Westmoreland.

Bill Mitchell grew up in Arlington, Virginia, helping his father, Morris Love Mitchell, in the big Victory Garden the family had during World War II.  Bill admired his father's physical strength as well as his modesty and chivalry.  "Dad was always the first one to get up and offer a chair to a woman or an older person entering the room," Bill wrote.  Bill's mother, Ann Leith Mitchell was also a positive influence on him.  Bill admired her hard work, her sacrifice and her calm demeanor.  As an adult, Bill often said of his parents: "They taught me how to treat people."

When it was time for college, Bill chose the University of Virginia.  He received a degree in Engineering in 1960.  After graduation, he spent three years in the Air Force.  He then returned to the University of Virginia to earn an MBA from the Darden Graduate Business School in 1965.

Bill then worked in the space industry in systems and project engineering, first in Florida, then Connecticut, and for the last 20 years of his career at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.  Major projects that he worked on were the now declassified Hexagon Spy Satellite and the Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Missions.

In his spare time, Bill took care of the house and barn on his property on Ten Oaks Road in Dayton, Maryland.  His two horses were soon joined by numerous sheep, chickens and a large vegetable garden.

Bill also did a significant amount of volunteer work in the community.  Almost as soon as he arrived in Maryland, he became a volunteer with Churches Concerned for the Homeless.  The non-profit group, supported by various denominations, provides transitional housing in Howard County for homeless families and individuals.  Bill cleaned, painted and repaired houses in preparation for a family's arrival.  He collected donated furniture and moved it into the house.  He created the car committee which accepted donated used autos and got them repaired and ready for use by the client families.  Bill contributed 20 to 30 hours a month on weekends and evenings to CCH work.

Bill and one of his horses also volunteered with Trail Riders of Today, Search and Rescue.  The trained team of riders was called out five to ten times a year by the Department of Natural Resources, the state police or the county sheriff's department to search for lost children, hikers, Alzheimers' patients and others.

After retirement, Bill began volunteering at the Howard County Conservancy.  He was a naturalist leading school children on nature hikes.

In his retirement, Bill also enjoyed painting landscapes and portraits in both acrylics and oils.  Then he taught himself how to cane chairs. After Bill and his wife, Chris, moved to Broadmead, Bill joined a regular group of artists who shared techniques.  The couple also enjoyed walking on the Broadmead campus, using the fitness center, and meeting new people.