Elaine Merrill Mitchell, age 95 of Grand Rapids, passed away on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Elaine was born and raised in Seagate and Bay Ridge,Brooklyn, N.Y. She graduated from Shore Road Academy, Brooklyn and Penn State University. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Bradbury Mitchell, her father Edward White Merrill, her mother Lina Parsons Merrill, her sister Cherrille Hamilton, and son-in-law Richard Houghton. Survivors are her daughters, Gail Houghton, Virginia Welch, Pamela Mitchell, and Patricia (John) Schwartz, grandchildren Elizabeth (Brian) Welch, Paul (Tiffany) Guthrie, Brad Welch, and Carolyn Schwartz, great grandchildren James and Katherine Lykins, Alexandra Iglesias, Isabella and Paul Francis Guthrie, and sister Lorna Heutchy. Elaine was a proud member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and the Junior Board Guild of Blodgett Hospital. After raising her children and then helping raise her grandchildren, she devoted her time to countless children at Blodgett Hospital Day Care, until her early 80’s. Her home was the center of the neighborhood, open to all children. Her neighborhood activism and constant attention to those in need is the legacy she imparted to her great-grandchildren. She was deeply loved by many and surrounded by those she loved in her final days. Our family extends its thanks to the staff at Clark on Keller Lake and Faith Hospice. The family will host a private gathering at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
