Elizabeth "Betty" Bland Mitchell

Elizabeth Ann “Betty” Bland Mitchell, 92, died at home in Frankfort with family on Sept. 4, 2023. Betty was born April 3, 1931, in Dayton OH to George Hite Bland and Mary Viola Faris Bland, originally from Marion County KY. Betty spent her early life in Millville KY, later moving with her family to their home in Frankfort on Grandview Drive. A lifelong Catholic, Betty attended St. Leo’s in Versailles, went to Notre Dame Academy in Northern KY and graduated from Good Shepherd High School in Frankfort. She maintained membership in Good Shepherd Church. Betty had four children: Ceci (Bryan), Dirk, Clay and Neil Mitchell. She was beloved grandmother to Jeremy Mitchell, Krista Hayden Jackson, and Blake Mitchell and much loved great grandmother to Caz and Izzy Jackson. Like a son and grandson were her nephew David Wilmot and his son John David (Tara) of Clarksville IN. Preceding her in death were her parents and siblings Susan “Sue” Wilmot, George “Sonny” Bland II, and by both infant brother and sister, as well as by her son Clay and grandson Jeremy. For more than a decade, Betty relished the role being matriarch of her extended Bland family which includes her sister-in-law Barbara Finneran and her nieces and nephew Debbie (Jim) Knost, Shelley (Melvin) Harper, Susan Snyder, Trey Bland, and their families in Nashville TN and beyond. Betty remained close to her Mitchell in-laws and is survived by David (Susan) Mitchell, Mary (Tim) Jumpp, and in-law spouses Patsy Mitchell and Eugene Pulliam along with many nieces and nephews, all descendants of Orville and Dorothy Mitchell. Betty’s caregiver, friend and companion has been Becky Meyer who was better than a daughter to her and to whom the family is eternally thankful for helping their mom stay with us for so long. Betty retired from KY state government with more than 40 years of service. She spent the majority of her career in the KY Treasury Department’s deposit room positioned adjacent to the capitol’s floral clock. She cherished her friends and coworkers and maintained close friendships with several of her “office gang” primarily Bobbie Lee, Eugene, Lori, Barbara, Emily and others. Betty’s Good Shepherd Church family was very important to her and she was grateful for their support. She especially enjoyed weekly visits and communion with Mary Ortwein. Betty raved about GSC’s Kevin O’Neil and former pastor Fr. Charles Howell and was pleased and honored by recent home visits from Fr. John Lijana. Betty enjoyed participating in Good Shepherd’s “Old Sheps” Senior Shepherds luncheon group and she formerly played canasta with several friends. She liked gardening and relished her annual trips to the Gulf coast. She enjoyed watching UK Wildcats and the Cinci Bengals when they won. Betty loved her good cat Tommy and she hoped someone would be kind enough to adopt him now. Betty appreciated all the calls, cards, flowers, visits and well-wishes she received over the years from so many people. Her online 90th birthday party during the covid pandemic was epic, and her blow-out party when she turned 80 was huge. Betty insisted she had never missed a family reunion in Lebanon KY except during the pandemic and until 2023 when she was unable to attend. Betty would want to acknowledge her daughter-by-another-mother Jo (Bo) Stevenson of Madison,AL and children Sierra and Zac. She remained close to her former daughter-in-law Teresa Brock and long-time family friend June Barbour. She had close ties with the Frankfort Hayden and Jackson families. And Betty believed she had the best neighbors anyone could hope for – thank you Ray, Beverly, Tammy, Dorothy, Sophie, and Debbie. Bluegrass Care Navigators Hospice program provided care and support at the end of Betty’s life. She was supported in health for many years by the good physicians at Baptist Health location in West Frankfort specifically P.A. Shanna Langford and Drs. Bucher and Heredia. We appreciate them all. Betty’s funeral mass will be at Good Shepherd Church on Friday, Sept 8, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. with burial following at Frankfort Cemetery. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Pallbearers will be Betty’s first cousins, whom she loved very much: Jimmy Rogers, Greg Bland, Jerry Bland, Pat Bland, Dan Bland, Doug Bland, George Rogers, Faye Yaste, Diane King, Darlene Crone, Denise Miles, Martha Lynn Hinton, Suzanne Murphy, Gloria Jean Purdom, Thelma Ann Miles, Bitty Williams, and Lula Mae Graves, along with cousins-in-law Patsy Bland and Pat Bland. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to Good Shepherd Church to help retire the building loan - 72 Shepherd Way, Frankfort KY 40601; or to Bluegrass Care Navigators - https://www.bgcarenav.org; or to a charity of one’s choice. Of further note, Betty was a registered Democrat and she proudly exercised her civic duty voting in every election which she was eligible, including using the absentee ballot option later in life to cast her votes. Betty’s admonition to everyone every time was to “be careful!” Arrangements are under the direction of Harrod Brothers Funeral Home & Crematory.

Tributes

Elizabeth "Betty" Bland Mitchell

April 3, 1931 - September 4, 2023