Olen Mitchell visits with locals at Wesley Towers in May 2024 before his departure for France to attend the 80th anniversary of D-Day observance CREDIT/RICHARD SHANK
By Richard Shank
An early morning phone caller on Christmas Eve left a message that Olen Mitchell, a 103-year-old Hutchinson icon, had passed away in his sleep. The caller’s message was prefaced with the words, ”One of the greatest individuals I have ever known has died,” words that all who knew him would agree with.
It was the end of a life well lived, which started in 1921 and encompassed, to date, the administrations of 16 of the country’s 46 Presidents.
I do not remember when or where I first met Olen, but am happy to say we were friends for decades.
Following multiple careers, he found time for one more, lasting about two decades with Elliott Mortuary. Olen greeted family members and friends arriving for funerals and memorial services. He was, perhaps, the greatest ambassador a business could have.
Tom Elliott could not have hired a greater ambassador for his business. And Olen had a way of making people, even those dealing with grief, feel better.
As readers will remember, Olen was in the news this past June when he joined 70 other World War II veterans for a flight to France to observe the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
On May 29, the eve of his departure for France, it seemed like half of Hutchinson attended a sendoff party for Olen at Wesley Towers, where he resided. Dozens stood in a receiving line to greet Olen. To no one’s surprise, he called most attendees by their first name.
Among the sites they visited in France was a cemetery where veterans of both world wars were buried, including the graves of 22 Americans whose identities remain unknown. “It was very sad to see the graves of those who did not return to enjoy life as I did,” Olen said. “I knew some of those who died and wished there had been time to visit their graves.”
Seated at a D-Day ceremony, Olen said he caught himself thinking about those who fought on Omaha Beach and what they went through on that fateful day.
In the distance, the hedge rows where German soldiers hid in wait for the American invaders remain a testament to that war so long ago.
Following his return, Olen mentioned the visit to the beaches of Normandy was sobering. “My only wish is that people would learn how to live together,” Olen said. “War does not settle anything for a long period of time.”
Always a keen observer of his surroundings, Olen talked about sitting within a few feet of French President Macron, who, with his youthful appearance, as he said, “looked like a kid.“
Olen was a car buff, too. I once took a ride with Olen in his 1929 Model A Ford, which ran and looked like it just came off a showroom floor during the first third of the 20th century. Also, he was a proud owner of a 1973 Volkswagen Beetle.
Olen’s wife, Wilma, passed away in 2006. They had no children. He leaves behind several nephews and nieces and more friends than there are residents in Hutchinson.
Funeral services for Olen are scheduled for 10 a.m., Saturday, January 4, at Elliott Mortuary. The family will receive friends from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, January 3, at the mortuary.
Rest in peace, Olen. You touched thousands of lives and made the world better.
