Gary Warren Mitchell

Gary Warren Mitchell, 74, a resident of Luverne, Alabama, passed away peacefully in his home on Wednesday, July 12th, 2023. A celebration of Gary's life will be held at 3 PM on Saturday, August 26th, at the Luverne Church of Christ.

Gary was born in Montgomery on June 25, 1949 and was raised in the home of his grandmother, Willie Belle Mitchell. He was extremely proud to have spent most of his life in that same home and took his last breath there, as he always wanted. He was a graduate of the Luverne High School Class of 1967 and went on to attend both Alabama Christian College (now Faulkner University) and the University of Alabama where he would earn a bachelor's degree in biology. His love of science first led him to work at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Product Safety Commission. He later transferred to the Social Security Administration before ending his government career at the Alabama Department of Human Resources where he worked as a child welfare social worker.

It was in this final position that Gary found his true calling and greatest joy in work. He was blessed with one of the biggest hearts for children and loved spending time with them. In a testament to that, he was easily the favorite Sunday School teacher of any child at Luverne Church of Christ where he attended for many years. He was also responsible for the Children's Church program there and the lessons he imparted to those children still resonate with them to this day. He learned quickly that the best way to reach them was to get down on their level and simply make learning fun! He designed fun activities for them while their parents were receiving the minister's lessons that kept them engaged and imparted some of those same lessons in ways they could understand.

Gary continued to work with the youth when he worshipped with Mount Pleasant Church of Christ as well. Throughout his lifetime, He also was a member of the Landmark and Twickenham churches of Christ, and he cherished every moment spent in the company with his church families over the years. During his retirement, Gary was able to explore his more creative passions in life. He could often be found painting at the G. Mitchell Gallery in Luverne. If he wasn't painting, he was usually squirreled away working on one of the three books he published during the last few years. Above all, Gary loved his family and friends beyond measure, though even that paled in comparison to his love for his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The world has lost a special soul, but his loved ones will find comfort in the knowledge that he is no longer in pain and safely in the arms of his Lord.

Gary was preceded in death by his father, David Mallie Mitchell and his mother, LeMerle (Lee) Huckaby Mitchell. He is survived by his sisters, Sharon Mitchell Cornelius and Daphne Mitchell Watson, and good friend, Ken McGuff, along with many nieces, nephews and cousins. He also leaves behind his beloved pets Tippy Louise, Lilly, Spencer, Hawna and Brindlee.