• Celebration of Life: Thursday, October 19, 2023 2:04 PM – 6 PM at WOLSKI’S ( 1836 N. Pulaski Street, Milwaukee)

Robert John Mitchell

Robert John Mitchell, born on April 10, 1947, died on September 9, 2023. Parents Alex and Ruth (Anderson) Mitchell and brother David George Mitchell preceded Bob in death. His brother James Alexander (wife Rita Marie, nee Baemmert) Mitchell, survive.

Born in Milwaukee, Bob lived in Cudahy and Greenfield, settling on the east side of Milwaukee.

Bob served three years in the Army as a pharmacy tech. He was discharged in Japan, then took the Trans-Siberian Railway to Europe and went to Scandinavia, staying in Sweden with relatives.  Bob next went to England, crossing the Channel and spending time in Italy. From Italy, he flew to Israel and stayed on a kibbutz where he met some of the members of the weightlifting team who were later killed in Munich as a result of a terrorism attack at the Olympics. Next Bob went overland to India by bus. He met his brother David in Thailand; Dave was an officer in the Air Force. He made his way back to Japan from where the Army flew him back to the States. Bob worked at the VA hospital at Wood WI for 25 years as a pharmacy technician.

He bought three houses, remodeling two of them. Bob sold the other one to his brother James.

Bob had a major stroke in 2003.  After he got home, Ken Mallow gave him an electric wheelchair.  It was as if he grew wings.  Bob became a daily fixture at Wolski’s no matter what the weather, often the first customer during the week at 2:04 PM. The bartenders at Wolski’s quickly learned how to “speak Bob” and communicated easily with him. He went to all the festivals, grocery shopped and was very independent.

Not a guy who spent a lot of time feeling sorry for himself, Bob didn’t live by the definition of the word “can’t.”  He had a great sense of humor and will be missed by many.

A celebration of Bob’s life will be on October 19, 2023 at Wolski’s 1836 N. Pulaski Street, Milwaukee from 2:04 to 6 PM.