John Anthony "Tony" Mitchell III

John Anthony "Tony" Mitchell III, 88, of Fairfield, Connecticut passed away peacefully on October 17, 2026 after a long and blessed life.

Tony was born October 1, 1938 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the eldest son to John Anthony Mitchell II and Margaret (Spellman) Mitchell. Tony was an alter boy as a child, and became a dedicated servant of God from a young age. As a child, he was always very gifted, and would even read the dictionary for fun, resulting in a thesaurus-like vocabulary. Tony attended Holy Child School, singing in the choir for 7 years. He followed his mother, Margaret's, path of excellence and won a scholarship to LaSalle College High School.

Tony transitioned to LaSalle College upon graduation, joining the ROTC and studying English Literature in college. During this time, he also met the love of his life, Jackie Joyce. After earning his BA in English Literature, he left to serve in the United States Army as 2nd Lieutenant, Missile Battery Company Commander at Fort Sill. Tony went on to be promoted to 1st Lieutenant prior to an honorable discharge. When he returned to Philadelphia, he enrolled in the graduate program at Temple University, studying consumer marketing.

Tony and Jackie connected again and, after time, became engaged. They were married on January 25, 1964, celebrating 62 years of marriage in 2026. Once married, Tony's career in marketing took off, and the two went to live in Cardiff, Wales. Tony and Jackie returned to the states by 1969, with their new daughter, and continued to grow their family. Tony was an equally devoted father as he was a husband, and each of his three children were extremely important to him and held a special place in his heart. Their happiness was always front of mind. The Mitchell family moved 14 times, but finally landed in Fairfield, Connecticut in the early 1980s. At the same time, Tony's career was at a high as founding partner of QLM Associates.

Years later and now retired, Tony spent much of his time traveling with Jackie and their many friends, as well as spending time with his 8 grandchildren. Tony and his family enjoyed countless trips to Marco Island and Sea Isle City, and his family always looked forward to laughing, crying, and sometimes being shocked by what adventures Tony had experienced. He could recall the most specific details, names, and facts of his life with ease.

Tony was a dedicated Patriot, flew the Flag proudly and taught his children and grandchildren the importance of Memorial Day and Veterans Day, often reminding them that “freedom is not free.” Tony was also a faithful servant of God, and continued to serve as an altar boy his entire life, up until his final mass at Holy Cross Church at age 87. He read the Bible and lived a life dedicated to serving the Catholic Church, his actions reflecting God’s grace and love.

Tony was a dedicated fan of UCONN Women's Basketball, did daily crossword puzzles and sudoku, loved a good martini with dinner, and big bowl of ice cream after, and was a valued member of the Maplewood Senior Living Choir. He enjoyed cooking amazing pastas, stews, and soups. He also loved to travel and had an appreciation for different cultures and languages. He was also a devoted volunteer at his church, appreciated the weekly calls that began during COVID via Zoom with his brothers and sister, and always showed an appreciation for the little things in life. Tony was a loving father and grandfather, and was each of their biggest fans. Most importantly, Tony showed his family what love and commitment truly means, and was dedicated entirely to his wife Jackie until his passing

He is survived by his family, including his wife Jacqueline (Joyce) Mitchell; their children Kristine Doran and her husband Michael, Suzanne Thompson, and Justin Mitchell and his wife Jaime Willow (Waring) Mitchell; his siblings, Thomas Mitchell and his wife Joanne Mitchell, Monica (Mitchell) Cummins and her husband Gary Cummins, and Richard Mitchell and his wife Connie Mitchell; his grandchildren Melissa (Doran) Long and her husband Michael, Andrew Luciano, Allison Doran, Caroline Luciano, Samantha Mitchell, Ryan Mitchell, Ella Thompson and Christopher Thompson; as well as his many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. He is preceded in death and welcomed into Heaven by his mother Margaret, father John, sister Maureen, brother in law John Kelly, brother William, brother Mark and many cherished friends including the Cassidys, Starks, and the Kelleys.

Friends and family are invited to visit the Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield on Friday, November 6th from 4-6 p.m. A Catholic Mass will be at Holy Cross Church 750 Tahmore Drive, Fairfield on Saturday November 7th at 10am.