Richard Flannery Mitchell, 66, of Cazenovia passed away on Dec. 12, 2023, after a year-long struggle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Dick was born Dec. 10, 1957, to Heidi Flannery and W. Ledyard Mitchell, Jr. of Grosse Pointe Farms, MI. Dick earned his bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University and his MBA at The Ohio State University.
Upon moving to Cazenovia, Dick entered employment in 1992 with Welch Allyn Inc. in Skaneateles and its subsidiary, Everest VIT, where he served as global operations manager for the Remote Visual Inspection Technology unit. He continued in that role when the business was acquired by General Electric in 2005. Dick retired from GE in December 2018 and worked as a project consultant with Sensor Networks Inc. until 2021. In retirement, Dick joined the Cazenovia Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter, a role he pursued with passion and dedication. Dick cared deeply for his colleagues at work and would often check in with them in difficult times, a habit he continued until his death. The outpouring of support during his illness is testament to the high regard in which he was held by those who worked with him.
Dick was an accomplished sailor. He sailed competitively in college and was twice nominated for the All-American Collegiate Sailing Team. Before pursuing graduate education, Dick worked as a sailmaker for Shore Sails in Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio, servicing the Midwest and the upper Great Lakes. It is at that time, while racing in the Snipe class, that Dick met his wife Maureen, a fellow Snipe sailor. Their love of sailing was the undercurrent of their life together. Since 1992, Dick sailed out of the Willow Bank Yacht Club in Cazenovia. Dick was the consummate sportsman. It was not unusual for him to forfeit the lead in a laser regatta to help a fellow sailor in distress. In addition to sailing, Dick enjoyed skiing, biking, playing tennis and golfing with family and friends. He served on the Boards of the Cazenovia Ski Club, Willow Bank Yacht Club, the Lorenzo Historical Society and the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, among others.
Dick is survived by his wife Maureen Hays-Mitchell and sons Zachary and Elliot, brother W. Ledyard Mitchell III (Veda Travis) of Salt Lake City, UT, sisters Deborah M. Bergh of Burlington, VT and Mary Mitchell of Portland, OR, as well as siblings-in-law Judith and Craig Benedict of Cazenovia, Rosemary D. Hays of Pelham Manor, N.Y., Michael and Stephanie Hays of St. Petersburg, FL, Robert T. Hays of Portland, OR, and several nieces and nephews. Dick was predeceased by his parents, sister Sallie M. Bass and brother-in-law Jay Hays.
A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated noon, Friday, Jan. 26, at St. James RC Church in Cazenovia. Contributions in Dick’s memory may be made to the Cazenovia Ski Club and the Cazenovia Fire Department at the following addresses. (Cazenovia Fire Foundation, 121 Albany St, Cazenovia, NY 13035); (Cazenovia Ski Club, c/o Jim King, 201 West Genesee St, PMB #293, Fayetteville, NY 13066). Condolences for the Mitchell family may be left at michaelebrownfuneralservices.com.
