Obituary - Elaine B. Mitchell

Tuesday, March 27, 2001
THE JUNEAU EMPIRE

Longtime Juneau resident and Alaska public broadcasting pioneer Elaine B. Mitchell died March 16, 2001, in Juneau.

She was born in Sept. 26, 1920, in Chicago and moved to Juneau with her family in 1965. In the 1960s, she worked as a cook at Taku Lodge, as a reporter and photographer for the Juneau Empire and as information director for Gov. Keith Miller.

She was a "founding mother" of KTOO radio and television in the early 1970s. She reported for the first public radio coverage of the Alaska Legislature in 1973 and the first public television coverage of the Legislature in 1977. She then served on the Alaska Public Broadcasting Commission until retiring in 1982.

She is survived by her husband David Mitchell of Juneau, children Mike Mitchell (and Barbara) of Anchorage, Melanie (and Jim) Prevost of Palmer and Kelly Mitchell of Juneau and grandchildren Mary, John, Annie Prevost of Palmer and Gwyn Howard of Anchorage. At her request, there will be no service. However, well-wishers are encouraged to remember her as they enjoy and support public radio and television in Alaska.

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