It is with the heaviest of hearts and great, great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of John “MITCH” Mitchell. Mitch was born and raised in Arnprior, Ontario to parents James and Eva Mitchell. His parents’ farming background helped develop Mitch’s appreciation for animals and a life-long love for the great outdoors and all of the natural world. Mitch and his siblings attended McNab Public School followed by Arnprior District High School. A member of many school teams, Mitch quickly established himself as a natural athlete. While attending the University Of New Brunswick as a forestry engineering student, Mitch
continued to be involved with athletics and took honor in being one of UNB’s top scorers for their varsity football team. He was also a member of the Canadian Games Team in Wrestling. In 1976 Mitch moved to Dawson City, Yukon where he ran sled dogs on a trapline for nearly a decade. In 1984 he volunteered to help break trail for the inaugural running of The Yukon Quest dog sled race and in 1985 Mitch ran and completed the race himself. Mitch served as a race judge for multiple years and in 1987 he assisted in laying out 6000 trail markers for that year’s Quest. The Percy DeWolfe Memorial Mail Race has also counted on Mitch for his expertise in organizing, troubleshooting and laying trail for their annual event.

The Canadian Rangers are the northern most representatives of the Canadian Military and expanded to Dawson City in 1991. Mitch was elected as the group’s commanding sergeant. A cornerstone of his patrol and of the community of Dawson City, Mitch served with pride, purpose and a profound sense of duty. He was more than a Ranger, he was a mentor, a friend and a respected leader whose knowledge of the land and commitment to others earned him admiration across the North.
Mitch was dedicated to bringing knowledge of the land and respect of others to the next generation. He was a steadfast supporter and key person in developing the JCR program (Junior Canadian Rangers), or “boy scouts with guns”, as Mitch would jokingly say. He guided the youth in the program with patience, humor and heart. His legacy will leave a lasting impression in Dawson and beyond.

Mitch Although was a humble man and did not enjoy the spotlight, he continuously displayed acts of bravery and heroism simply because that was who he was. Often awards and recognition would go unmentioned and family and friends would read about it in the local paper or find out from other community members. If you asked him about it he would deflect and say it was just another Tuesday.
Mitch has received many awards and recognitions over the years and is the Highest Decorated Canadian Ranger across Canada. Just a few of the awards include receiving THE CANADIAN FORCES NORTHERN AREA COMMANDERS’ COMMENDATION IN RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING SERVICE in February, 1995 Mitch is the only non-regular forces person to ever receive THE ORDER OF MILITARY MERIT, September, 1997 The Royal Canadian Humane Association awarded him the BRAVERY MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING EFFORTS on April 10, 1998. THE YUKON COMMISSIONER’S AWARD FOR BRAVERY, January 2000 THE GOVERNOR GENERAL’S AWARD FOR BRAVERY IN 2001. In 2021, when he was retiring from The Canadian Rangers, he was awarded The Keys to the City by Dawson Mayor and council as well as the Gunhawk from the Tr’ondek Hwech’in community.
Most recently, In 2025, he received THE KING CHARLES III CORONATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE TO HIS COMMUNITY Mitch was persuaded to moonlight as a model for CANADA GOOSE COMPANY to highlight one of their parkas.

True to his character and good humor he remarked “It’s not easy being a symbol in this town!”
Mitch was kind and respectful of everyone, which is one of the many reasons he was a well loved hero in the community. The greatest love that Mitch found in the Yukon was his partner of 40 years, Shirley. They were a great team. They were soulmates. Witnessing their playful banter would bring a smile to anyone near. They complimented each other and supported each other in almost all of their endeavours. They shared their love of their dogs, horses and the City of Dawson. Mitch’s passing leaves a huge void in the hearts of his loved ones and in his community. He was a big presence and a quiet hero to many. Mitch is survived by his soulmate Shirley, brother Jamie (Kim), daughter Kathie (Dan), son Free (Jenny), daughter Raven (Jay), granddaughters Brooklyn, Alexandra and Isabelle and his only grandson, Jake as well as many nieces and nephews. We will continue to try to “Keep Safe, eh” and “Keep our sticks on the ice” while navigating this
great loss. Mitch is predeceased by his parents Jim and Eva, sister Susan, brother Gord and sister Nancy. A public Celebration Of Life will be hosted by the Canadian Rangers
at Mitch’s gun range in West Dawson on September 13TH, 2025.