From PIttsburg, to Prairie View, to North Texas, James Curtis Mitchell was a leader, entrepreneur, friend, mentor, and teacher to many and that’s how he was remembered during services celebrating his life last week at Concord Church.
Friends, former co-workers, family members, and fraternity brothers traveled from across the country to pay respects to the man they said helped so many others.
Born on April 8, 1944, in Pittsburg, Texas, to Jimmie Mitchell, Sr. and Ella Mae Mitchell (Heath), he is fondly known as “Mitch.”
He graduated from Frederick Douglass High School in Pittsburg and went on to Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1965.
Mitch was a strong supporter and advocate for PVAMU. He served on several university committees including the university’s Industry Advisory Council, PVAMU Capital Campaign Steering Committee & Cabinet (2003-2009), and the President’s Advisory Council.
His first job out of college was at McDonnell-Douglas and lasted until he was drafted into the US Army in 1966. After military service, James joined the Texas Instruments Defense Group as an equipment engineer. He later shifted his career focus to management and held several positions in manufacturing operations.
In 1990, he joined SC Group Human Resources as Staffing/ EEO/Diversity Manager.
There he chaired the company’s cross-functional staffing Quality Steering Team. In 1996, James was elected by the Texas Instruments Board of Directors as Vice President-Corporate Staff. He was the first African American to serve as Vice President at Texas Instruments.
In this role, he was responsible for identifying executives for the corporation and for managing other leadership initiatives that were aligned with the company’s new strategic direction. He retired from Texas Instruments in 2001.
After retirement, he became an entrepreneur as the owner and CEO of SMP Enterprises (Saint Martin’s Place) which serves the Real Estate Development and Hospitality markets. He truly enjoyed hosting various events at Saint Martin’s Place.
Mitch carried the baton of community involvement and service. Having been initiated into Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity on March 19, 1978, through the Dallas Alumni Chapter, Mitch was one of Kappa’s best-known, celebrated, and respected members.
As a visionary person and natural leader, Mitch was elected President of the Dallas Alumni Chapter within three years after his initiation and Regional President four years later. In 1988, he was elected to Kappa’s National Board of Directors, and three years later, became Kappa’s National Vice-President.
Mitch led the Dallas Alumni Chapter in devising a plan to purchase a Headquarters facility in 1990, and in raising funds to help achieve that goal, he became the first ‘Lifetime member’ of the Dallas Alumni Chap- ter. He later became a Life Member of Kappa’s Regional Council as well as a Life Member of Kappa on the National level.
He was a charter member of Kappa’s Guide Right Foundation, the chapter’s 501.c.3 entity that was chartered by the IRS in 1993 to provide financial support to high school graduates who were enrolling in college to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
Mitch served on a large number of ad hoc and special committees and commissions in Kappa for several years. He was the Southwestern Regional Representative for the National Achievement Commission from 2015 until his passing.
For his work and achievements in Kappa and service in the larger community that was described and documented as “Meritorious,” Mitch was awarded the ELDER WATSON DIGGS AWARD, THE 2ND Highest Award that Kappa may confer on its members, at the Kappa’s National Meeting in 2007. Because his work and achievements in Kappa are well known, exemplary, and meritorious, his name and achievements will be documented and maintained in Kappa’s archives at the local, regional, and national levels in perpetuity.
He was inducted into Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Boule, on December 5, 1999. Within the Boule’, he served as Chair of the Alpha Epsilon Foundation for five years. He initiated the mentoring program for the Foundation and assigned members to serve as mentors to scholars with career experience in the area they planned to pursue.
He also initiated the process of meeting with the school counselors to identify eligible and worthy candidates for the generous scholarships and to also meet with the potential scholarship recipients.
James was a part of professional and civic/community organizations which include: Texas Instruments Foundation Board of Directors; MIT Indus- trial Advisory Board on Minority Education; Executive Board of the Graduate Engineering Minority Consortium; Dallas Urban League; Dallas Historical Society; YMCA of Dallas; National Society of Black Engineers Board of Directors; Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce Board; Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce Workforce Development Task Force; Past Chairman of the Dallas County Workforce Board; President/ Founder Guide Right Foundation of Dallas; and, Inroads of Dallas Board of Directors.
Mitch became a member of Concord Church in 1977, under the leadership of Pastor E. K. Bailey. He was a member of the E.K. Bailey’s Discipleship Class for 2 ½ years.
He was the Past Chair of the Business and Pro-fessional Ministry and served as an usher until his health failed. Still, his spiritual journey continued to flourish under the leadership of Pastor Bryan Carter.
In 1969, he married the late Arnetta Jefferson Mitchell. Their blessed union produced two successful and loving children, the late Misty Mitchell Lankford, and James Mitchell II. In January 2003, he met the second love of his life, Vickie Richie. They were married on October 9, 2003, and enjoyed 20 years of marital splendor.
To carry on his legacy, he has a grandson, Cedric Lankford, Jr., a senior at the University of Houston, and a granddaughter, Paige Lankford, a freshman at Prairie View A&M University.
James was preceded in death by his step-father, Joe Heath, and brothers, Donald Mitchell (Ruthie), and Jimmy Mitchell, Jr. He is survived by his siblings, Loyce Henry (Roy), L. C. Mitch- ell, and Marie Hardwell (James). His blended family includes Calvin Heath (Margie), Juanita Williams-Knight, and Geraldine Lewis.
A thought that was always in the forefront of James’ mind was given to him by the late Dr. E. K. Bailey. It was this, “If you are the cause that you are living for, then you are living for a very small cause.”
