Mitchell, Jane Neel

Jane Neel Mitchell of Christiansburg, Virginia, passed away peacefully on Monday, December 7, 2020, at the age of 86. Born on June 24, 1934, she was the oldest daughter of the late Cecil E. and Mary Ball Neel of Bluefield, West Virginia. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence Mitchell.

She overcame polio as a child and went on to attend Radford College for two years, transferring schools in order to be closer to her future husband. She graduated from Concord College in 1957 with a B.S. in Education; she married Lawrence Mitchell the same year. In 1986, she received an M.A. in English from Virginia Tech.

A woman of strong faith and character, she lived a life in service to others. Throughout her decades-long teaching career, she taught countless students at Richlands High School, Christiansburg Middle School, and Dayspring Christian Academy; she even spent her retirement homeschooling two of her grandchildren. Additionally, she devoted many years to teaching Sunday school classes, hosting and leading Bible studies, and keeping nursery at various churches, including Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Cedar Bluff, Virginia, and Redeemer Church in Christiansburg, Virginia. After retirement, she spent almost every Election Day working the polls and was an active docent at Montgomery Museum. She also volunteered her time tutoring English to numerous individuals throughout the years. While she did not have much in terms of wealth and material possessions in this life, she gave of whatever she had, and she gave of it freely in service to the Lord. She has left an indelible mark on countless lives.

She is survived by her four children, Marlene Clift and husband, Bowie, of Christiansburg, Virginia, Loren Mitchell and wife, Dena, of Houston, Texas, John Mitchell of Charleston, South Carolina, David Mitchell and wife, Christie, of Fork Union, Virginia; daughter-in-law, Susan Mitchell of Christiansburg, Virginia; four grandchildren, Jared Mitchell of Bristol, Virginia, Sarah Belcher of Christiansburg, Virginia, Jacob Mitchell of Washington, D.C., Asia Exposito and husband, Anthony, of El Paso, Texas; great-grandson, Elijah Belcher, of Christiansburg, Virginia; sister, Mary Cecile Martin of Bluefield, West Virginia; niece, Jackie Williams and husband, David, of Bluefield, Virginia.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be no public funeral service at this time. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg.