Obituary for Gerda E Mitchell
Mrs. Gerda Eleonora Machado Mitchell of Hattiesburg, MS passed from this life on Thursday, April 20, 2023. She was born on September 9, 1935 in Campos Dos Goytacazes, Brazil to Mr. Julio Machado and Mrs. Olga Machado.
Gerda came to the United States to study English and graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in Education. She raised three children and was very involved in the Houma Oil Wives Club, Crew of Hyacinthians Ladies Carnival Club, as well as all of her children’s extracurricular activities. She was a devoted member of the Catholic Church. Gerda was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother with an engaging personality that was larger than life – she never met a stranger.
Preceding her in death were her parents, Julio and Olga Machado; her husband of 62 years, Rayford Mitchell; two brothers, Ronaldo and Paulo Santos; and her son, David Mitchell.
Surviving her are her son, Paul Mitchell and wife Debi of Flower Mound, TX; daughter, Stephanie Mitchell Tubbs and husband Scot of Hattiesburg, MS; seven grandchildren, Lindsey, Holly, Eric, Matthew, Andrea, Lance, Ashton and 15 great-grandchildren. She also has many nieces and nephews in Brazil.
Gerda came to the United States to study English and graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in Education. She raised three children and was very involved in the Houma Oil Wives Club, Crew of Hyacinthians Ladies Carnival Club, as well as all of her children’s extracurricular activities. She was a devoted member of the Catholic Church. Gerda was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother with an engaging personality that was larger than life – she never met a stranger.
Preceding her in death were her parents, Julio and Olga Machado; her husband of 62 years, Rayford Mitchell; two brothers, Ronaldo and Paulo Santos; and her son, David Mitchell.
Surviving her are her son, Paul Mitchell and wife Debi of Flower Mound, TX; daughter, Stephanie Mitchell Tubbs and husband Scot of Hattiesburg, MS; seven grandchildren, Lindsey, Holly, Eric, Matthew, Andrea, Lance, Ashton and 15 great-grandchildren. She also has many nieces and nephews in Brazil.