WHITELAND
Oran Nelson Mitchell, age 95 relinquished his earthly body on July 24, 2023. He was born in Samaria, Indiana on January 31, 1928 and was a lifelong Johnson County resident. He was the youngest of ten children of Frank and Estella (White) Mitchell. Oran dearly loved and respected his siblings. Florence (Cecil) Burgett, Loyd (Carrie) Mitchell, Gerald (Margaret) Mitchell, Lucille (Bill) Pickerel, Reba (Davis) White, Bill (Alice) Mitchell, Carl Henry (Ruth) Mitchell, Charles (Kathaleen) Mitchell, and Joe (Marjorie) Mitchell.
Oran lived on a variety of farms and attended Hopewell School until they moved to the Mullendore Farm near Camp Atterbury. He was a 1946 graduate of Nineveh High School where he was class president and played basketball. He married Whiteland resident Billie Joan Smith in April 1948 and they took up farming on a property owned by Oran’s father. They later purchased land in rural Whiteland and built their lifelong home. Together they had four children Gloria (Howard) Pitler, Beverly (Ted) Benson, Daniel (Suzie) Mitchell, and Laura (Clay) Crocker. Nineteen grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. His beloved wife of forty-eight years died December 1996. Oran used his skills as a sheet metal model maker at Arvin’s, Adams Division, Thomas L. Green, and Stewart Warner. He enjoyed telling folks “he helped put a man on the moon” because he worked on the heat exchanger for the lunar module. Oran was also a carpenter and built eight houses and many other structures. He enjoyed watching his grandkids and great nieces and nephews play various sports. Through his mother’s influence he became a man of faith in Jesus and in his later years wrote three booklets about the life of Christ. He wanted family and friends to know he loved them and God did too.
In lieu of flowers, gifts can be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN, 38105 or Special Olympics, PO Box 44094, Indianapolis, IN. 46244
Visitation will be conducted at Flinn and Maguire Funeral Home, Franklin, Indiana, from 4pm to 8pm, on Friday, July 28. Additional visitation will be held Saturday, July 29, at 1pm with a celebration of life service at 2pm. Burial will take place at Greenlawn Cemetery, Franklin, IN, following the service.
