David Wolfe Mitchell

June 23, 1940  —  August 21, 2011

     Dave Mitchell, poet and translator, died peacefully in the arms
     of his wife, Barbara Mountrey, August 21.

     Dave was  born in Brooklyn and raised in Yorktown Heights,
     NY. He met his wife in 1958, and they remained close friends
     ever after, finally reuniting in 1997 and marrying in 2003.

     Dave was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2007, but was able
     to live at home until May 2011. He then moved into The
     Victorian Residential Care, where he received loving care and
     comfort. In June he was placed under the care of Heartland
     Hospice, who kept him calm and comfortable until he
     succumbed to the effects of Alzheimer’s, exacerbated by COPD
     and heart damage from rheumatic fever at the age of 7.

     Dave’s one book of poetry is now out of print, but most of his
     poems can be found at motherbird.com. He was always
     amazed by evidence of worldwide respect for his poems, such
     as finding that they had been translated into Estonian. He was
     also excited to have some of his poems used in state               
     graduation exams, because they would be read by thousands
     of students, an audience few poets achieve.

     Dave taught himself to read Russian and became a translator
     of technical journals. He was quite proud of having translated
     documents related to decommissioning a Russian biochemical
     plant.

     Dave also supported the work of many other writers, artists
     and photographers by publishing Talus and Scree, an
     international literary journal.

     He is survived by his sons Timothy Keene deWard Mitchell,
     Christopher Daniel Mitchell and Joshua O’Keeffe; his brother,
     James Duane Mitchell (Katherine); brother-in-law and friend
     William Mountrey; and former wives Jeanne deWard and Polly
     Mitchell.

     He was predeceased by his parents, James and Helene
     Mitchell, and by his brother William and sister Jane Meri.