1947
Danny
2014
Danny Mitchell
October 10, 1947 — September 14, 2014
Beloved father, husband, business, and civic leader Danny Ferrell Mitchell died suddenly early Sunday, September 14, 2014, after suffering a heart attack at his Brandon home. Visitation will be 5-8:00pm at Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Brandon on Tuesday. The Celebration of Life service will be at Christ United Methodist Church, Jackson, at 10:00am on Wednesday with visitation at the church 9-10:00am. Graveside Service will be at the King Family Cemetery in Bassfield, MS, at 1pm.
The only child of Benjamin F. Mitchell and Mataline King Mitchell of Prentiss, MS, both deceased, Danny is survived by his wife of 43 years, Patty Perkins Mitchell, and his three children, Amy Mitchell of Austin, Texas; Ben Mitchell and wife Anna of Atlanta, GA; and Emily Mitchell of Tuscaloosa, AL.
Born October 10, 1947, in Corpus Christi, Texas, Danny graduated from W.B. Ray High School in Corpus Christi and went on to attend the University of Southern Mississippi on a debate scholarship. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech and Mass Communication in 1970, and completed his fellowship and Master of Science degree in 1971.
Following his retirement from the Godwin Group, after 30 years of service, Danny continued his civic leadership serving as Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors for Make-a-Wish Mississippi. He also served as Chairman of the Generosity Committee at Christ United Methodist Church where he was a member. He also was a long time member of Crossgates United Methodist Church in Brandon where is he generously served. He really dove into his retirement years with a lust for life. Danny and his wife enjoyed international travel with friends and Christ United Methodist Church groups, and visiting their children often. Danny was driven when it came to work and play in competitive tennis, but was a true force of nature in his absolute, complete, and unqualified devotion to his wife and children in any and all endeavors. He was a champion for his family and friends. While Danny’s professional and civic accomplishments were vast and varied, he was equally, if not more defined by his character. His mischievous wit, his inquisitive and brilliant mind, his deep faith and relationship with God, his generosity of his time and gifts, his inspirational coaching style, his sound advice, his creativity as a pianist, vocalist, sculptor, artist, writer; his devotion to Southern Miss (even in the worst of times), his love of reading, his natural athleticism and team-spirit, his compassion and supportive nature with friends—with anyone really, his love for his parents, in-laws, his nephews and nieces, his cousins, aunts and uncles, his 3 kids, and Patty…well all of that only starts to skim the surface on the kind of man he was.
Danny so enjoyed his many years of coaching each of his children’s sports—across soccer, baseball, and basketball, and boy was he strategic about even that job! He loved playing tennis, too, and was quite competitive. He was the Captain of his “Men with Balls” (ha!) tennis team and they recently had won State Championship and are on their way to the Sectionals now. Danny also enjoyed his weekly Men’s Group Bible Study, and was the class cut-up in his and Patty’s “Open Doors” Sunday School Class. Danny was also a member of his neighborhood “Front Porch Association.”
In his get-away-from-it-all moments, he and Patty worked hard to create home-away from homes, one to look at over the ocean at their condo in Orange Beach, AL , and one in their country-cabin escape in Bassfield, MS, on inherited family land.
Danny joined GodwinGroup, the South’s oldest independent ad agency, in 1983. He worked his way up to CEO, a position he held until 2007 and moved on to Chairman of the Board. He retired after 30 years of service as Chairman Emeritus, after leading the agency’s evolution and growth in becoming a full service integrated marketing firm.
His professional accomplishments included being named as a 2007 Laureate in the Mississippi Business Hall of Fame, becoming the first public relations, advertising and marketing professional ever named to this prestigious group. In 2004, he received the Jackson Ad Federation’s highest, the Silver Medal Award, for lifetime achievement recognizing outstanding contributions to advertising, and for furthering the industry’s standards of creative excellence, and for responsibility in areas of social concern. He was prolific in his professional civic engagement, such as serving on the Board of Governors of the Mississippi Economic Council; Chairman of the Board Mississippi Food Network; and on Boards of Directors for JOBS for Mississippi Graduates; American Red Cross (Central Mississippi); United Way of the Capitol Area; Goodwill Industries; Vice President, Economic Development for the Metro Jackson Chamber of Commerce; Past President, Public Relations Association of Mississippi; he also is a Past President and Distinguished Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi/Alabama Optimist Clubs.
Mitchell was a lifelong advocate for public education. Prior to joining GodwinGroup, he served as Public Relations and Communication Officer for the Jackson Public School District, working as spokesperson responsible for issues management, which was during the latter part of desegregation.
Mitchell was an avid supporter of the University of Southern Mississippi, where as an undergraduate, he was a scholarship member of the collegiate Debate Team, President of the Student Senate, a varsity cheerleader, a charter member of Sigma Nu Fraternity, and was named Class President….ironically, Patty had been named Class Secretary…and that’s where the two met. As an alumni, he served in many leadership roles including: Board Member and President of the USM Alumni Association, which recognized him with the university’s Outstanding Service Award, and the USM Hall of Fame; he served as President of the USM Foundation Board and was member of the Honors Club; he was an inaugural member of USM’s School of Mass Communication & Journalism-College of Arts & Letters’ Wall of Fame; and a lifelong member of the USM Eagle Club and it’s Circle of Champions.
He will be greatly missed. He led by example, and his sense of humor, coaching, leadership, and love most certainly came from the heart. Memorials may be made to Christ United Methodist Church, 6000 Old Canton Rd., Jackson, MS 39211 or Make-A-Wish Mississippi Foundation, 576 Highland Colony Pkwy. Suite 120, Ridgeland, MS 39157.
The only child of Benjamin F. Mitchell and Mataline King Mitchell of Prentiss, MS, both deceased, Danny is survived by his wife of 43 years, Patty Perkins Mitchell, and his three children, Amy Mitchell of Austin, Texas; Ben Mitchell and wife Anna of Atlanta, GA; and Emily Mitchell of Tuscaloosa, AL.
Born October 10, 1947, in Corpus Christi, Texas, Danny graduated from W.B. Ray High School in Corpus Christi and went on to attend the University of Southern Mississippi on a debate scholarship. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech and Mass Communication in 1970, and completed his fellowship and Master of Science degree in 1971.
Following his retirement from the Godwin Group, after 30 years of service, Danny continued his civic leadership serving as Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors for Make-a-Wish Mississippi. He also served as Chairman of the Generosity Committee at Christ United Methodist Church where he was a member. He also was a long time member of Crossgates United Methodist Church in Brandon where is he generously served. He really dove into his retirement years with a lust for life. Danny and his wife enjoyed international travel with friends and Christ United Methodist Church groups, and visiting their children often. Danny was driven when it came to work and play in competitive tennis, but was a true force of nature in his absolute, complete, and unqualified devotion to his wife and children in any and all endeavors. He was a champion for his family and friends. While Danny’s professional and civic accomplishments were vast and varied, he was equally, if not more defined by his character. His mischievous wit, his inquisitive and brilliant mind, his deep faith and relationship with God, his generosity of his time and gifts, his inspirational coaching style, his sound advice, his creativity as a pianist, vocalist, sculptor, artist, writer; his devotion to Southern Miss (even in the worst of times), his love of reading, his natural athleticism and team-spirit, his compassion and supportive nature with friends—with anyone really, his love for his parents, in-laws, his nephews and nieces, his cousins, aunts and uncles, his 3 kids, and Patty…well all of that only starts to skim the surface on the kind of man he was.
Danny so enjoyed his many years of coaching each of his children’s sports—across soccer, baseball, and basketball, and boy was he strategic about even that job! He loved playing tennis, too, and was quite competitive. He was the Captain of his “Men with Balls” (ha!) tennis team and they recently had won State Championship and are on their way to the Sectionals now. Danny also enjoyed his weekly Men’s Group Bible Study, and was the class cut-up in his and Patty’s “Open Doors” Sunday School Class. Danny was also a member of his neighborhood “Front Porch Association.”
In his get-away-from-it-all moments, he and Patty worked hard to create home-away from homes, one to look at over the ocean at their condo in Orange Beach, AL , and one in their country-cabin escape in Bassfield, MS, on inherited family land.
Danny joined GodwinGroup, the South’s oldest independent ad agency, in 1983. He worked his way up to CEO, a position he held until 2007 and moved on to Chairman of the Board. He retired after 30 years of service as Chairman Emeritus, after leading the agency’s evolution and growth in becoming a full service integrated marketing firm.
His professional accomplishments included being named as a 2007 Laureate in the Mississippi Business Hall of Fame, becoming the first public relations, advertising and marketing professional ever named to this prestigious group. In 2004, he received the Jackson Ad Federation’s highest, the Silver Medal Award, for lifetime achievement recognizing outstanding contributions to advertising, and for furthering the industry’s standards of creative excellence, and for responsibility in areas of social concern. He was prolific in his professional civic engagement, such as serving on the Board of Governors of the Mississippi Economic Council; Chairman of the Board Mississippi Food Network; and on Boards of Directors for JOBS for Mississippi Graduates; American Red Cross (Central Mississippi); United Way of the Capitol Area; Goodwill Industries; Vice President, Economic Development for the Metro Jackson Chamber of Commerce; Past President, Public Relations Association of Mississippi; he also is a Past President and Distinguished Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi/Alabama Optimist Clubs.
Mitchell was a lifelong advocate for public education. Prior to joining GodwinGroup, he served as Public Relations and Communication Officer for the Jackson Public School District, working as spokesperson responsible for issues management, which was during the latter part of desegregation.
Mitchell was an avid supporter of the University of Southern Mississippi, where as an undergraduate, he was a scholarship member of the collegiate Debate Team, President of the Student Senate, a varsity cheerleader, a charter member of Sigma Nu Fraternity, and was named Class President….ironically, Patty had been named Class Secretary…and that’s where the two met. As an alumni, he served in many leadership roles including: Board Member and President of the USM Alumni Association, which recognized him with the university’s Outstanding Service Award, and the USM Hall of Fame; he served as President of the USM Foundation Board and was member of the Honors Club; he was an inaugural member of USM’s School of Mass Communication & Journalism-College of Arts & Letters’ Wall of Fame; and a lifelong member of the USM Eagle Club and it’s Circle of Champions.
He will be greatly missed. He led by example, and his sense of humor, coaching, leadership, and love most certainly came from the heart. Memorials may be made to Christ United Methodist Church, 6000 Old Canton Rd., Jackson, MS 39211 or Make-A-Wish Mississippi Foundation, 576 Highland Colony Pkwy. Suite 120, Ridgeland, MS 39157.
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