Carol B. Mitchell

Carol Bird Mitchell 
March 16, 1947 - March 22, 2026

Holding hands with her two oldest children, Carol closed her beautiful blue eyes and was reunited with her husband and youngest two sons. She was 79 yrs and 6 days old. 

Carol was born March 16, 1947 to Joseph and Helen (Rapp) Bird. She joined her brother Richard, who immediately began torturing her as only a big brother could. He taught her to shoot a shotgun by holding the stock as far away from her shoulder as possible. 

Carol wore many hats over the years. Her career driving bus began in 1968. She drove hundreds of students, some of which drove her crazy. But not as crazy as her first automatic bus because there was no way that it knew how to downshift on Blue Mtn Hill better than her. She also drove her beloved Tiger bus for Long Lake Camps.  She worked for the US Census (getting paid to drive and talk to people?!), kept the books for her son’s marina and body shop (and could open a locked car door faster than a thief), washed laundry for several camps, cleaned houses and hosted numerous Tupperware and MaryKay parties. She had numerous other side jobs. She never sat still unless she was embroidering her newest grandchild’s Christmas stocking. 

She volunteered everywhere, especially the Indian Lake Women’s Auxiliary. She was at every fundraiser, wood splitting party, venison butchering  and house raising. She even volunteered her kids for cleanup duty and wood stacking. Carol was a volunteer tax preparer for many years. She never took a penny in payment but John found a lot of 12 packs on the porch from February to April. 

No mother should outlive her children. Carol buried infant Joey and 38 yr old Jamie, both devastating losses for her. She is reunited with them, her husband John, her parents and all her ancestors.  She is survived by her brother Richard (Roxanne)Bird, children Christine Mitchell, Ken (Jane) Hinckley and John Mitchell. For our future genealogy buffs, here is the count to date. 12 grandchildren: Favorite Eldest Grandson Shaun (Brooke) Fredette, Erica Fredette, Kathryn (Shane) Fredette-Fahey, Brittany (Patrick) Woodfield, Sydney (Michael) VanTassel, Morgan (Lucas Relkin) Hinckley,  Benjamin (Jay Barker) Hinckley, Aaron, Elizabeth and Jaelynn Mitchell and Kaydance and Keygean Mitchell. 
9 Great grandchildren: Mason and Layla Fredette, Jackson, Jameson, Macallan and Charlotte Woodfield, Violet and Charlie Fahey and Ralph VanTassel. Many others, most especially her niece Natalie Pesce, whom she’s spent the last few years trying to teach how to load her dishwasher properly. She is also survived by many “grand-dogs” who she liked to spoil. 

She knew every star, every bird in the sky. She taught us every plant and animal in the Adirondacks. She was very creative, making us Halloween costumes that won prizes every year. She could always figure out ways to entertain us on a shoe string. If Carol was a truck driver, she’d have had her million miler pin ages ago. She did go OTR with Johnnie for a few interesting days. She loved to take road trips, towing at least one child or grandchild with her. Every trip included a stop at a cemetery to clean an ancestor’s gravestone. She loved to research her lineage and share that knowledge with her family. 

Carol was generous and gave freely of herself. Her pleasure came from seeing others happy and thriving. Rather than the material world, her greatest riches were her family. She was most content when she was spending time with them, watching their games and concerts, sharing meals, listening to their stories. 

We would like to thank some very special people who helped Carol more than they will ever know. Natalie, for being with her these last hard years, Lizzie and Michaela for keeping her as healthy as possible, her minister Vance Mortensen for providing such comfort in her final days and High Peaks Hospice. 

Per Carol’s wishes, there will be no services. She never wanted a fuss made for her. She’d not want flowers either but if you plant a tree in her memory, her favorite was the white birch.  Donations in her memory may be made to Raquette Lake Chapel, Raquette Lake Volunteer Fire Department to your favorite charity.

Accountancy, bus driving, Census taking, tax preparation, living simply, volunteering. I wanted to be exactly like her (with better taste in coffee). In the end, I see that I accomplished so much more by sharing her three greatest roles. Daughter, mother, grandmother. We are your legacy and we will cherish you forever. Love, Your Baby Girl

The life of Carol Mitchell will be celebrated on June 13th at 11:30 AM at Raquette Lake Chapel.

Friends and family are warmly invited to join us, with a gathering to follow at the Raquette Lake Fire Department.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Carol B. Mitchell, please visit our floral store.