Carol Jean "CJ" Mitchell, age 85

December 20, 1936 – February 13, 2022

Carol Jean "CJ" Mitchell, age 85, of Mount Dora Florida, and formerly of Newton, Illinois, passed away Sunday, February 13, 2022, at Advent Waterman Hospital in Tavares, Florida.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM – Monday, February 21, 2022, at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Newton, Illinois, with Fr. Dean Probst, celebrating mass.  Burial will be in the New St Peter Cemetery, rural Newton, Illinois.  Visitation will be held 5:00-7:00 PM – Sunday, February 20, 2022, at the Meyer Funeral Home in Newton, Illinois, and from 10:00-10:30 AM – Monday, at the church.  In loving memory of Carol, memorials may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.  The obituary can be viewed and condolences left at www.meyerfh.com .

Carol Jean, better known to her family and friends as "CJ" was born December, 20, 1936, in Michigan City, Indiana, the daughter of Sylvester Kniola and Marian (Milcarek) Kniola.  She graduated from Elston High School in 1954, and married Kenneth Harvey Mitchell the same year.

CJ and Kenny moved to Newton, Illinois, in 1959, where they farmed and raised five children, Steven K. (wife Tammy) Mitchell, Douglas L. (wife Barb) Mitchell, Jean Ann (husband Kurt) Andersen, Jill Marie (husband Sam) Alkhalaf and Lea Ann (husband Bobby) Slotkin.

CJ was a farmer's wife, homemaker and loving mother. She and Kenny retired from farming in 1996, and thereafter spent half the year in Newton and half in Florida. They made Florida their full-time home in 2018. She was an extraordinarily kind and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.  She was an excellent cook and had a quick sense of humor. CJ enjoyed visiting with her family and playing mahjong with her lady friends in Mt. Dora. She is survived by her husband Kenny, four children, 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, and a brother Jack Kniola, all of whom will miss her dearly.

CJ was preceded in death by her parents and daughter Jean Ann Andersen and son-in-law Sam Alkhalaf.