Charles S. Mitchell, 77, of Falls Church, VA passed away on February 25, 2020, at Virginia Hospital Center, Arlington, VA.  Born in NYC, Chuck was a raised in New Haven, CT and had lived in Virginia since 1971.  Chuck served in the Army including a tour in South Vietnam. He was an Attorney for the Navy, a law firm, and his own practice for 44 years and retired in 2012.  He graduated Syracuse University in 1965 with a BS, and then went on to Boston University where he received his Law Degree in 1968.

Chuck is survived by his wife, Sandy (Neuss) Mitchell of 52 years; his children Brent Mitchell and Jenny Hopp, and Jonathan and Nicki Halterman-Mitchell; three grandchildren, Noah and Isaac Halterman-Mitchell, and Jacob "Jake" Mitchell; and a sister Emily Thacker.

Chuck was funny and kind.  He punned.  He adored absurd jokes — telling a Chinese restaurant waiter that he wanted a hamburger, telling the burger joint waiter that he wanted moo goo gai pan.

Really, he wanted mint chocolate chip ice cream.  A bowl to eat in his big chair watching Orange basketball or Red Sox baseball.  He stayed loyal after the Army took him away from the Northeast.

He stayed loyal to many people.  Clients.  Friends. Cousins. He loved the family from which he came.  The memories of his uncle's beach house, his father's Bridgeport factory, the trips west to see the relatives in LA.

That gave him a streak of the old fashioned, a love for the things that he didn't think the world should pass by.   Like a roll-top desk and New Orleans jazz.  Like fountain pens.  So many fountain pens.  Even with Parkinson's, he worked to hand write letters that he thought should arrive in the proper way, on the proper paper.

But he loved the families that he made as well.  He took on Sandy's family and loved them just as much as his own.   He loved his boys and thier wives.   He cherished his grandsons.  Tossing them in the air when they were tiny and sitting with them to really talk as they grew into young men.

Chuck loved stories.  Stories sometimes that had fewer pauses than they had digressions and obscure references.  But he would listen to your stories as well.  He would help with what you needed.  He was generous with time and money.

He loved to point a boat or a motor home off on an adventures.  Truly, he loved anything he could drive.  He drove to his final day.  Over the protests of his sons.   Approved by the driving test of the Commonwealth of Virginia.  He drove to see people and to pick up that mint chocolate chip ice cream.  And he got himself where he wanted to go.

Graveside services will be held at 1 PM Sunday, March 1, 2020 at Beth Israel Cemetery, Woodbridge, NJ.  Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Flynn and Son Funeral Home, 23 Ford Ave., Fords, NJ.  There will be a memorial service at 11 am, Wednesday, March 4 at Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation in Reston, VA.

Donations may be made to the Pozez Jewish Community Center in Fairfax, VA or to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.