C.L. Mitchell

“C.L.” Mitchell died on Monday, May 9, 2022 at home. He was 77 years old.

He was born November 18, 1944 in Princeton to Clyde T.  and Gladys Mae (Spear) Mitchell.

He was preceded in death by his father, Clyde; daughter, Denise Beasley; maternal grandparents, Rex S. and Zoie G. (Poole) Spear: and his paternal grandmother, Golda Mitchell.

C.L. graduated with honors from Princeton High School Class of 1962. He attended Rose Polytechnic Institute in Terre Haute and Evansville College in Evansville.

C.L. enlisted in the Regular Army in 1966 and served one enlistment. In 1973, he enlisted in the Indiana Army National Guard as a radio repairman per request of a friend who was an officer in the Guard. He retired in 2004 at mandatory retirement age as a Master Sergeant after 37 plus years of active and reserve military service.

After returning from active duty, he worked for Kendall Funeral Home as an ambulance and funeral attendant. In 1971, C.L. and Kent Toole from Kendall’s attended the first Emergency Medical Technician – Ambulance (now called ‘Basic’) class south of Indianapolis, taught by Dr. David Lindauer, the Health Officer at the time. This was taught at the Princeton Fire Station on North Prince Street. In 1972, he passed the first examination given by the National Registry of EMTs.

On January 25, 1974, C.L. married Helen C. Christmas and they had 48 years together. Helen survives C.L. along with his grandsons, Jeramy K. Eaton (Briana) of Princeton and Jordan D. Mayer of Dickson, TN; four great grandchildren; nieces and nephews; his sister, Bonita Johnson (Steve); and his mother, Gladys.

On November 1, 1975, C.L. accepted a position with Alexander Funeral Homes is Evansville. He also assisted in getting the Gibson County Ambulance Service up and running and continued with the county mostly part time until his retirement in 2020. At Alexander’s, he served as their representative at the Emergency Management Agency, Vanderburgh County Local Emergency Planning Committee, and Vanderburgh County EMS Committee and its predecessor organizations. He was Chairman of the Paramedic Education Subcommittee for the first Paramedic Class south of Indianapolis which was held at the three Evansville Hospitals (Deaconess, St. Marys and Welborn). At retirement he was the Safety and Risk Manager and also oversaw Fleet Maintenance, supply and electronics. Alexander Ambulance Service went through corporate buy outs ending up as American Medical Response (AMR) when he retired in 2007.

C.L. was a member of Bethel Memorial Church. He was a Life member of the National Rifle Association, Indiana Volunteer Firefighters Association, 38th Infantry Division Association, Quarter Century Wireless Association and the American Radio Relay League. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 41 at Owensville and was a member of the Honor Guard/Burial Detail until he was physically unable to perform those functions. He was a member of The American Legion Amateur Radio Club and the Tri-State Amateur Society. He was a member and past chairman of the Gibson County Emergency Services Chiefs’ Association. He was also a member of the Gibson County Local Emergency Planning Committee and served as Chairman for four years. He was a founding member of the Gibson County Rescue Service and was Chief for many years. He was certified as a firefighter and was a member of the Patoka Township Fire Department and later the Princeton Fire Territory after the merger. During the 1960s and 70s, he was active in the Civil Defense, the predecessor of the Emergency Management Agency.

C.L. was certified and later licensed as a Paramedic in 1979 and retired his license the end of 2020. He was appointed Paramedic Emeritus by the Indiana Emergency Medical Services Commission in 2020. He was also licensed as an Amateur Radio Operator (call sign K9PNP) since 1958, currently Extra class license. This was his lifetime and favorite hobby. He loved to refurbish and operate vintage vacuum tube radio equipment and built some of his equipment. He held a Second-Class Commercial Radio Operator License since 1969. He was certified as a Medico-legal Death Investigator and served as a Deputy Coroner under Robert Kendall, Richard Hickrod and Misty Hoke until his health deteriorated.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 am on Saturday, May 14, 2022 at Colvin Funeral Home in Princeton with Pastor Kevin Wilson officiating. Burial will follow at Walnut Hill Cemetery in Fort Branch. Visitation will be on Friday evening from 4 until 7 pm at the funeral home. Military graveside service by Retired Military Veterans.

Memorial contributions may be donated to Bethel Memorial Church, 1520 S. Main St., Princeton, IN 47670.

Condolences may be offered at www.colvinfuneralhome.com. Colvin Funeral Home is honored to serve the Mitchell family.

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