Fred Earl Mitchell

Fred Earl Mitchell, age 82, went to be with our Lord and Savior on Thursday, January 21, 2016. He died shortly after enjoying time fishing with his best friend.

Born on May 16, 1933, in Glendora, Calif., Fred spent his childhood days there before moving to Oceanside in 1943. He graduated from Oceanside High School in 1951 and earned an AA degree from Oceanside-Carlsbad Junior College (now Mira Costa College).

Fred began working for the Oceanside-Carlsbad Unified School District in 1953 as a bus driver. Simultaneously, he went to night school at Long Beach State University and earned a driver education and driver training credential. With this credential, he began teaching at Oceanside High School. He retired in 1993 after teaching for 40 years of service to the district. He officiated football and basketball for many years, umpired baseball, and spent several years as an assistant baseball coach.

His hobbies included fishing, golfing, and woodworking. An active member of Carlsbad Community Church, Fred loved the Lord with all his heart and expressed this love in service to the church as an elder, usher, helper, and occasional handyman.

Fred is survived by Alice, his wife of 34 years; son and daughter-in-law Dale and Dawn Mitchell of Fallbrook; son and daughter-in-law Ron and Jeanette Mitchell of Vista; daughter and son-in-law Sharon and Vance Manakas of Moorpark; step-daughter and husband Cheryl and Robert Evans of St. Joseph, Missouri; step-daughter and husband Lucinda and Loren Burkhalter of Chariton, Iowa; and step-son Rex Gray of Ankeny, Iowa. He is also survived by 18 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by first wife Virginia Mitchell; father and mother James and Anna Mitchell; and his brother and wife, Hugh and Betty Mitchell.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 6, 2016, at noon at Carlsbad Community Church. A lunch reception will follow. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family requests that donations be made to Carlsbad Community Church Benevolence Fund in memory of Fred Mitchell. The church address is 3175 Harding Street, Carlsbad, CA, 92008 and the website is 3c.org. Inurnment is at Eternal Hills in Oceanside, Calif.