Robert Mitchell Ellington, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away peacefully on August 17, 2024. He was 86.
Born on February 16, 1938, in Birmingham, Alabama, and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. Mitchell attended Cloverdale Junior High and Sidney Lanier High School, where he excelled academically and athletically, participating on the football and track teams.
A gifted musician, Mitchell was an accomplished violinist, often playing in church services, weddings, and other events. He eventually became the concertmaster of the local orchestra, organized by Mrs. Fanny Marks Seibels. While still a student at Lanier, Mitchell and his father would travel to Auburn University to perform with the Auburn Orchestra for various operas, including Handel's Messiah.
Mitchell attended Auburn University, graduating in 1959 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and several honor societies, including Pi Tau Sigma, Scabbard and Blade, and Arnold Air Society ROTC. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force and was promoted to First Lieutenant. After his military service, he joined Boland Trane in Washington, D.C., and later joined Havtech, contributing to significant projects.
Mitchell lived in Potomac, MD, for 45 years and was deeply involved in his community. He was a member of ASHRAE, the Sons of the American Revolution, and served as past president of the Cosmopolitan Club of Washington and the McAuley Park Citizens Association. A 50-year member of the Chevy Chase Club, he also enjoyed golf and bowling. Mitchell enjoyed hunting and fishing, especially while spending time with his wife, Alice, and their grandchildren.
Mitchell's legacy is marked by his loving, kind, and funny nature; his generosity; and his exemplary work ethic, which touched the lives of everyone who knew him. He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Alice Richards Ellington, his three children: Nancy (Brian), Ginger (Dan), and Mitchell, Jr. (Stephanie), his seven grandchildren: Cassandra, Ruby, Taylor, Evan, Jackson, Ryan, and Victoria, and his brother, Howard (Cathy).
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, from 5 to 7 PM at Joseph Gawler's Sons Funeral Home, 5130 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016. The funeral service will take place on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at 11 AM at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 9200 Kentsdale Drive, Potomac, MD 20854. A reception will follow immediately at the Chevy Chase Club, 6100 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in R. Mitchell Ellington's name to support leukemia research at the Hershey Cancer Clinic. Please specify (AML) Leukemia Research when donating.
Posted online on August 22, 2024
Published in Montgomery Advertiser