MITCHELL , Gordon Walter Mitchell

Gord Mitchell passed away in comfort at Lakeview Manor Beaverton, Ontario on August 27, 2025 just a few months short of his 93rd birthday. Gord is the last of his siblings to pass away and he now joins his dearly loved wife June who passed April 21, 2025. Gord is survived by his children Deborah Moore (husband Rob Dias deceased), Brad Mitchell (Lois), Nancy Stabback (Andy Gubbels), Jeff Mitchell (Chris) and Joe Mitchell (Lori), their many cherished Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren.

Gord was born at home (no hospital) on Nine Mile Road, in view of the Lakeview Manor property where he ended his days. He stopped school before completing Grade 8 but not for lack of interest or intelligence. The family was in hard times and he went out to work. In 1947, before his 16th birthday, he was hired on to a Hydro transmission tower project and worked on the section from Pefferlaw to just north of Norland. Gord’s job was to assemble the top two out-reaching arms (from 85, ending at 135’) of the hydro towers that carried the power lines. He said the tools he had to carry up there weighed more than he did. Hydro had old army trucks, formerly used to move troops, to transport the workers. The seat was a wooden board. Most of his fellow workers were from Poland and contracted to work 2 years before being released. If they quit before that, they had to repay Hydro for bringing them to Canada. They lived in tent camps that moved along with the work, 16 guys to a tent. It was a quite a change for this young man but he toughed it out.

After that he moved to Oshawa and started at General Motors working in the paint booth. Factory work did not appeal to him and by then he had met his soon to be wife June so the couple moved back to Beaverton and married in 1953. Gord’s older brother Don was boss of a construction crew and Gord was hired to help carry the mortar for the masons. Soon they needed more help and Bob Bullock was hired.

The newlyweds lived briefly with June’s parents while Gord salvaged what good logs he could from an abandoned two-story log home on June’s parent’s farm. There was enough to build a one story, two-bedroom, home on Main Street East, Beaverton. The couple’s new refrigerator was traded for the logs and the lot in town was purchased for $300.

Gord and Bob Bullock decided to branch off on their own about that time and did mostly brick and block work but learned carpentry as they went. All the sawing and drilling was done by hand of course. No power tools back then! They ate baloney sandwiches and water for lunch and worked hard. Bob Bullock and Gord worked together for quite a while taking on construction projects, a contract to pick up garbage for the town and even pumping septic tanks. The partnership came to an end when Bob passed away suddenly while dancing at his 25th wedding anniversary. Gord later worked with Robin Oliver (now deceased) and both Brad and Joe worked with Gord for some time too. Gord ran Mitchell’s Fish Huts for years and later Brad and Joe, then just Brad ran the same business. Over the years, Gord hired many young local men who learned the building trade and later went on to their own successful businesses.

Gord did not have time for many hobbies but he liked to hunt and fish. We ate well in our family. As his building days wound down, The Boys (Gord, BJ, Billy, Brad, Joe and other occasional guests) would gather in his big shop to solve the problems of the world on Friday afternoons.

Gord and June took only two vacations. A one-week trip by car to the east coast when June’s Mom, Tilly Acton, stayed with the children. The second was a camping trip to the west coast again by car and with a tent trailer for two or three weeks. Joe, Jeff and Nancy were along for that trip.

The family had standing orders to keep silent during Hockey Night in Canada and stay out of Gord’s cashews. The family enjoyed Walt Disney, Red Skelton, Ed Sullivan and Bonanza on black and white TV, all gathered together in the living room. We especially loved Topo Gigio, the mouse puppet on Ed Sullivan’s show.

Gord and June enjoyed their garden, their sun filled home, and family meals with Christmas being the favourite holiday. Gord was the biggest kid of the whole bunch, one year waking everybody up at 2:30 am Christmas morning because he just couldn’t wait any longer. They had great health and managed to stay in their own home much longer than average.

All told, Gord lived a good life. He will be missed by his family and friends, especially his many cherished grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Deb’s: Matt, Kim (Abbie), Mike, and Katie. Brad’s: Melissa (William, Johnathan, Benjamin), and Stephanie. Nancy’s: Krysten (Brayden, Ava, Myles), Josh (Arthur, Juliana), and Jackie (Hazel, Heath). Jeff’s: Jennifer, John (Daniel, Shiloh), Joel (Asher, Slevin), Jeremy, James (Seamus, Una), Joanna (Melia), Julia, Joy, Joseph, and Charity. Joe’s: Jasper (Maeve, Imogen), and Sheridan (Sullivan). The family is deeply grateful for the excellent care Gord received from the caring staff at Lakeview Manor. A visitation will be held at the Mangan Funeral Home on Saturday September 20th from 11:30-12:30 with a short service starting at 12:30 in the chapel. Interment to follow at Stone Church Cemetery, Beaverton.