Irene Mitchell

Irene May Denny Mitchell, 84, of Ooltewah, passed away on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. Irene was born Oct. 5, 1932 in De Soto, Mo., to Edward M Denny and Marguerite May Denny. She had an older brother, Edward C. Denny, almost five years older than her. After finishing Elementary and High schools in De Soto she chose to attend Union college in Lincoln, Neb., and obtained a degree in secretarial Science. She worked as a secretary for two years in the Missouri Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists before transferring to Sunnydale Academy in Missouri as a teacher. Irene’s next move was to the General Conference of SDAs in Maryland. She advanced to become the second highest secretary serving for a number of years as the secretary to the Secretary of the General Conference. This allowed her to travel to many parts of the world as a part of her assignments. She married Thomas Larkin in 1970 and assumed the title of Stepmother to Tom’s daughter, Ellen Gay. She and Tom retired to Collegedale. Unfortunately, Tom died a few years following the retirement. She subsequently married Alfred Mitchell, a resident of Collegedale. She is survived by her brother, Edward C. Denny; and his three sons; stepdaughter, stepson, Donald and his daughters and their family. Please visit www.heritagechattanooga.com to share words of comfort to the family. She will be buried in Woodlawn Cemetery at De Soto, Mo., beside her father and mother awaiting the return of Jesus. Family will receive friends on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016, from 4 to 7 p.m., at Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 E. Brainerd Road.