Kensel Raymond Mitchell

We commend to God, our dear sweet Father Kensel Raymond Mitchell who passed away on October 13th, 2024 after a brief stay at Shuswap Lake General Hospital in Salmon Arm, B.C.

Dad was a Maritimer, born in Oxford Nova Scotia on July 27, 1928 where he and his beloved wife Anne (Bobyk), married for 67 years, lived and raised their family. Ken and Anne spent the last 34 years of their married life in British Columbia to be closer to Heather, (Achim), Nick, Brad, (Jamie), Emma, Ken, (Tracey) Quade and Quinn.

Dad would recall as a boy, the freedom of running through the fields and woods of Clairemont, seeing his first airplane landing in a field nearby, hearing the marvel of the Hindenburg flying overhead and sneaking into Uncle Stewarts' fish house to grab a delicious snack of drying gaspereau. Grandmother Saphronia used to hand tie all of those knots to make the fishing nets.

Dad joined the Cadets in High School. He served with 3 PPCLI (Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry) in Korea. He joined the Royal Canadian Airforce where he flew the Argus aircraft with the Maritime Command as a Captain and Test Pilot retiring in 1973. He continued to work in Debert at the Airport and Newmac until final retirement in 1987. He and Anne sold the house, bought an RV and traveled throughout Canada, the U.S. and Mexico for several years before settling in Burnaby/Maple Ridge, British Columbia.

Kensel was predeceased by his wife Anne (2021), parents, Mayhew and Beatrice (Sterling) and siblings, Vern, Aubrey, Arthur, Maisie and Emerson. He is survived by his dear sister Beatrice Hughes, many nieces, nephews who are living coast to coast.

Kensel will be celebrated by his immediate family in Salmon Arm, then join Anne at the Maple Ridge Cemetery, Maple Ridge, British Columbia. Our hearts still remain, with those summer days on the beaches of Northumberland Strait.

Rest in peace beloved Dad, you earned it! A most grateful thank you to the wonderful caregivers from Comfort Keepers and Interior Health Care, Lakeside Manor Staff and Dr. Shoesmith, who assisted Dad these last few months. Thank you to Bowers Funeral Service in Salmon Arm for their kindness and guidance.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, --and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of --Wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air...
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark or even eagle flew --
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God. -John Gillespie Magie Jr.