Mims Mitchell, Sr. was born in 1897. He worked for his uncle, Mims Williams, until
he was sent to embalming school and in 1928 came back to Magee and opened the
Mims Mitchell Funeral Home. His business was located on Main Avenue across
from Horn Brothers and is now occupied by Terrell Garner Floor Covering(1995).
Mr. E. C. McCarley bought the building from the Mitchells after they moved to their
new location on Railroad Street. The building at one time was occupied by a Ford
Motor Company business, according to signs painted on the building found during
renovation by Kendrick McCarley (Home Appliance Company) in the late 1950s.
The floors in the back of the building were made of concrete, whether this was for
the Ford Motor Company's workshop or the funeral home parking lot for ambulances
no one knows for sure. There were still casket racks on the wall when it was renovated,
along with heavy timbers for the wood floors.
In 1960 the organization united with the Upton Funeral Home in Mendenhall and
became Upton-Mims Mitchell Funeral Home. The business grew to include funeral
homes in Raleigh and Mt. Olive. It was purchased by Colonial Funeral Home some
time later.
Mims Mitchell was married to Myra Calhoun (1900-1962) and was an avid hunter.
There is still a hunting camp which bears his name and is enjoyed by many of the
town's citizens. Mr. Mitchell died in 1966.
