HERKIMER - Donald J. Mitchell age 80 Shells Bush Road former United States Congressman, entered into eternal rest on Saturday Morning September 27, 2003 in Little Falls Hospital. He was born on May 8, 1923 in Ilion, son of the late Donald G. and Winifred Packard Mitchell. A lifelong Herkimer resident he was a graduate of Herkimer High School class of 1940. He went on to Hobart College where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Optometry. He furthered his education at Columbia University receiving a Master of Arts Degree in Education from Columbia Universitys Teachers College. He had also received honorary degrees from Hobart College, William Smith College, Pennsylvania College of Optometry and Doctor of Ocular Science from Southern College of Optometry. He answered the call of his country by enlisting in the US Navy. He served in World War two as a carrier based fighter pilot and a Naval Flight Instructor during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1950. On October 20, 1945 he married the former Margretta Gretta Levee in First United Presbyterian Church, Little Falls. The Reverend J. Harold Thompson, Pastor officiated. In 1950 Dr. Mitchell started his optometry practice in Herkimer. He built one of the most successful professional optometry practices in New York State and was an Appointed Examiner for New York State Board of Examiners in Optometry. In 1954 he began his career in public service. He was a Herkimer Town Councilman for three years and from 1957 to 1960 was mayor of Herkimer. At that time had the distinction of being the youngest mayor in New York State. He was a member of the Herkimer Zoning Board of Appeals from 1963 to 1964 when he was elected to the New York State Assembly. He served in the Assembly for eight years, the last four years as Majority Whip. In 1972 he was elected to the United States Congress where served on the Armed Services Committee. He held that office until his retirement from public life in 1983. His had a political career to be proud of, having won fourteen consecutive elections and was unopposed for three additional terms. In October of 2000 the Veterans Out Patient Clinic at Griffiss Air Force Base was named for him. He was the first person in the history of the Veterans Administration to have this honor bestowed upon. Some of his other significant accomplishments include, founding Leatherstocking Country, NY a nine county tourism district in central New York State. In 1974 he led a successful nine-month fight against the US Air Force to save the Rome Air Development Center. He was founder of, and first task force chairman for the Northeast/Midwest Coalition in the US House of Representatives, served as Republican Whip for the US House of Representatives both times New York City suffered financial crises in the 1970s, he was founder of the Tourism Caucus of the US House of Representatives, he was elected president and chairman to the board of the American Civil Defense Association and served as the chairman of the upstate New York Speakers Bureau for the then Vice President George Bush. He had received many awards and honors including the Jimmy Doolittle Fellowship an award presented by the Aerospace Education Foundation of the Air Force Association, Patriot of the Year presented by the New York State Reserve Officers Association, the National Security Award presented by the US Civil Defense Council and in 1988 a new highway bridge at the foot of Shells Bush Road was named in his honor. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church Herkimer-Little Falls where he had served as a church trustee, a member of Herkimer Lodge # 423 Free and Accepted Masons, Herkimer Elks Lodge # 1439 and was a board member of the General Herkimer Council Boy Scouts of America, the American Civil Defense Association, Central Association for the Blind, Folts Homes, Eastern New York Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, Mohawk Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, United Way and the Herkimer County Historical Society. As a licensed pilot he enjoyed aviation and had owned his own airplane. His leisure time was spent playing tennis, reading and working in his garden. A friend to many and a life truly lived in the service others, he will never be forgotten. Surviving are his wife of fifty-seven years, Gretta, two daughters and their husbands; Gretchen and Sandy Barr of San Antonio, TX, Cynthia Mitchell-Gingles and John of Manassas, VA, a brother; James Mitchell and his wife Sondra of Oakdale, LI, one sister Juanita Stone of Tiburon, CA, one granddaughter; Susan Barr of San Antonio, TX, several nieces and nephews. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by his son Allen Mitchell in 1984 and a sister Winifred Tinker in 1993. Funeral service will be on Wednesday at 11:00 am in the First United Methodist Church Herkimer-Little Falls. The Reverend Wrightson Tongue, Pastor will officiate. The committal will be private and at the familys convenience. The family will be present to receive relatives and friends in Fenner Funeral Home Inc., 115 Court Street, Herkimer on Tuesday from 2:00 until 5:00 pm. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Disease Research, Grand Central Station, PO Box 4777, New York, NY 10163 or the First United Methodist Church Herkimer-Little Falls, PO Box 88, Herkimer, NY 13350. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home. To Read More About Congressman Mitchell: Ex-Congressman Mitchell dies (From Utica Observer Dispatch) Mitchell inspired others to take part in public service (From Utica Observer Dispatch) Mitchell 'rose to great heights' (From Utica Observer Dispatch)