Yvette Constance Mitchell Obituary (1925 - 2020)

Waterville - Yvette C. Mitchell, of Waterville, Maine, passed away peacefully on August 15, 2020 at the Lakewood Nursing Home in Waterville. She was 95 years old. Mrs. Mitchell was born in Waterville, Maine on March 10, 1925, the second child of Eddie J. and Alice (Maheu) Pooler. Yvette graduated from Waterville High School in 1942, and married her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Paul Mitchell, on August 20, 1949. Other than a period of 7 - 8 years in New York City and the Boston suburbs when they were first married, Yvette lived here in Waterville. She and Paul raised their four children and together shared 68 years of wedded bliss. Although she never really came out and said it, Yvette loved Waterville. It was home to her extended family, including her Mitchell in-laws and her Pooler siblings, especially her sister Rita. Yvette was a terrific cook and baker, with famous family recipes for her chicken pie, her chocolate cake and her whoopie pies. She dedicated years of her life supporting husband Paul's business endeavors at GHM Insurance Agency and raising her children, sending them off to college and to start their own families. She was a tremendous mother, but in many ways the prime of Yvette's life started with the birth of her grandchildren, all 12 of them. Nothing brought Yvette more happiness than spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, especially at their sporting events or at her home away from home, her summer camp on Great Pond, which served as the family gathering spot and scene of happy memories for many years. She would oversee the swimming, tubing and water skiing of her grandchildren, then send them off by boat to Days Store in Belgrade with a dollar in hand to buy whatever special treat they desired. She loved to cheer on her grandchildren at their sporting events, from football and basketball games in Tulsa, Ok, to baseball games in Marblehead, MA, to track meets, hockey games and tennis matches in Waterville and Winslow, she saw them all, and loved every minute of it. Until her Parkinson's took over, she never missed a graduation, wedding or big family event. Yvette was humble. She never wanted the glory or to be the center of attention, and was much more comfortable in the background. That was her comfort zone, the one on one talk, where she could stress the fundamentals of life - education, hard work, keep moving forward, try hard and do your best. And she stressed these to her grandchildren. Yvette was never negative, she never had a bad word to say about anyone, let alone someone from her family. Yvette was tough, and she never complained. For the last ten years or so, she had very limited mobility and for the last five years was confined to a wheelchair, unable to comfortably move. During those years at Lakewood Nursing Home, she never complained about her situation or complained about the pain she was in. She did not want to talk about herself, she wanted to talk about her grandchildren and her great grandchildren; how they were doing, what they were doing. They were the great loves of her life, and we will all miss her so. Survivors include her four children: Paul J. Mitchell Jr. and his wife Suzanne of Marblehead, MA, Linda Mitchell Price and her husband Stuart Price of Tulsa, OK, Jeffrey D. Mitchell and his wife Lisa of Winslow, ME, and William E. Mitchell and his wife Vicki, of Waterville, ME. Yvette is dearly remembered as Grammy or Mimi by her 12 grandchildren; Colin, Nara, Stephanie, Stuart, Bethany, Catherine, Jacqueline, Jessica, Taylor, Michael, Nicole and Sean, and her 9 great grandchildren; Emlyn, Quinn, Mitchell, Charlotte, Vivian, Clara, Will, William and Elizabeth. She also leaves her brother-in-law George Mitchell and sister-in-law Heather of New York City, and her sisters-in-law Barbara Atkins and Janet Mitchell, both of Waterville. She was predeceased by her husband, Paul Mitchell, and her brother John Pooler and sister Rita Stuart. The family would also like to thank Lakewood Nursing Home, in particular Vicki Dyer and her staff for their loving care of Yvette over the last few years, as well as our dear friends Jodi Tiner, Debbie Bryand and Cindy Clapperton, for their love and support of Yvette and Paul. May God Bless them all. Arrangements are under the direction and care of Gallant Funeral Home, 10 Elm Street, Waterville, Maine. In light of Covid-19 restrictions, all services will be private. An online guest book may be signed and condolences expressed at www.gallantfh.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Parkinson's Foundation, 200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131.