Rae Ellen Mitchell

Rae Ellen (Rhodes) Mitchell, formerly of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, passed away Sept. 19, 2023, at Peppi’s House in Tucson, Arizona.

Rae “Ellen” was born on Sept. 9, 1942, in Conway, Missouri, to George and Martha Rhodes. She was the fourth of five children. When she was six months old her family moved to Nebraska, where she lived in Tekamah, Manley and Weeping Water.

After graduating from Weeping Water High School in 1960 Ellen visited her Aunt Nora in Milwaukee and decided to put down roots. Ellen landed a secretarial job for a stationery company, which included getting driven around Milwaukee by a chauffeur so she could complete her tasks. She also worked as an elevator attendant for Boston Store, where she delighted in interacting with the customers.

In the fall of 1960 she met Wayne Arthur Mitchell on a bus from Chicago to Milwaukee. Wayne was traveling home to Berlin, Wisconsin, with a buddy after serving in the US Army in Germany. He politely offered to fix Ellen’s footrest, and then she invited him and his buddy to share a cup of coffee in Milwaukee while they waited for their next bus ride.

Wayne and Ellen married in Milwaukee on June 24, 1961. The newlyweds lived in the Berlin area for a short time but raised their five children in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, residing there from 1964 to 2008.

Ellen introduced her children to the big cities of Milwaukee and Chicago, exploring museums, parks and beaches. She also spearheaded family camping trips to Door County, Indiana and Estes Park, Colorado.

Like her mother, Ellen was a wonderful hostess, making all feel welcome. Her children’s friends, as well as her nieces and nephews, adored her hospitality and warmth. Ellen had a gift for making friends and keeping them by providing encouragement, support and sending gifts and cards.

Holding a variety of jobs while raising her children, Ellen ran an in-home daycare, waitressed at Olympia Resort and served as a deli clerk at Sentry Foods. Seeking a more rewarding vocation, she later attended Waukesha County Technical College, achieving an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education.

Ellen went on to teach preschool for many years at All About Learning (now Cadence Academy Preschool) and Little Lambs in Oconomowoc. Her most fulfilling work was teaching preschoolers and supporting at-risk teens through a Waukesha County mentoring program and by leading life skills classes at Lad Lake in Dousman, Wisconsin.

Ellen enjoyed shopping, attending estate sales, crafting, painting, playing Sheepshead and Cribbage with family and friends, baking and decorating for the holidays with her grandchildren, gardening, having coffee with friends, walking around Fowler Lake, going out for fish fry, attending concerts at the City Beach Band Shelter in Oconomowoc, and country drives with Wayne.

A member of United Methodist Women at Oconomowoc United Methodist Church (now Good Shepherd) for many years, Ellen began attending the Weeping Water United Methodist UMW group with her sister and sister-in-law after moving back to Nebraska.

Over her lifetime volunteer work was an important focus for Ellen. She worked the Rogers Memorial Hospital (now Rogers Behavioral Health) crisis line, handed out food at local food pantries, worked with the high school youth at the Oconomowoc United Methodist Church, and made trips to Milwaukee to serve food and deliver clothing to those in need.

Shortly after Wayne and Ellen’s retirement, they moved to Ixonia and later to a Watertown retirement community garden home, where they continued to enjoy spending time with family and friends. On June 24, 2019, they celebrated 58 years of love and devotion. Wayne passed a month later.

In 2020 Ellen moved to Lincoln, where she lived independently near her daughter Jodi until December of 2022. She spent the last nine months of her life in Tucson living with her daughter Pamela. During that time Ellen enjoyed hosting many family members. She also sought out ways to connect with the community, volunteering with a new friend to assemble food and essentials for the homeless.

Ellen was a beloved sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Wayne, and daughter-in-law, Beth Mayer. She is survived by brothers Robert (Rose) Rhodes of Kearney, Nebraska, Philip (Linda) Rhodes of Weeping Water, Nebraska, Jack (Theresa) Rhodes of Katy, Texas, and sister Marilyn (Kenneth) Stratton of Weeping Water. She is also survived by her five children, 10 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Her children include: Pamela Mitchell of Tucson, Jodi (David) Fuson of Lincoln, Nebraska, Kristine (Charles) Williams of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, Sheila Mitchell (Brandon Morris) of Whitehall, Ohio, Scott Mitchell (Kim Ritchey) of Ventura, California; grandchildren: Adam, Rachel, Aaron and Sarah Fuson, Zachary Borens and Quinn Williams, Taylor Mitchell, Aspyn, Joseph and Scarlet Conley, and great-grandchild: Braelon Borens.

The family is planning a celebration of life service in Weeping Water, Nebraska, on Friday, Oct. 20th at 11 a.m. at the Weeping Water United Methodist Church, 104 E. Eldora Ave., with a lunch reception to follow in the fellowship hall. A second gathering, at the Oconomowoc Community Center, 220 W. Wisconsin Ave., is set for Sunday, Oct. 22 from 2-4 p.m. with a memorial service at 2:30 p.m. Coffee and light refreshments will be served.

A complete obituary with photos can be found at avenidascremation.com .

Memorial gifts may be designated to Lad Lake Inc. (Dousman), a local food bank, animal shelter, or organization serving at-risk teens.