Dwyer Kendrick (Ken) Mitchum

Services for Dwyer Kendrick Mitchum, 93, will be held Monday, March 16, 2020, at 4:00 pm in the Cedar Avenue Chapel of Brummitt-McKenzie Funeral Home with Brother Dennis Trull officiating.  Graveside service will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery with U.S. Army Military Honors rendered. The family will receive friends on Sunday, March 15, 2020, from 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm and Monday, March 16, 2020, from 3:00 pm until service time.

 Colonel (Retired) Dwyer Kendrick Mitchum of McKenzie, Tennessee, passed away on March 13, 2020 at the age of 93. "Mitch," as he was affectionately known by most, was born on February 23, 1927, in Chattannoga, Tennessee, to Charlie Lewis and Ethel Elizabeth (Pate) Mitchum. He attended his early years of school in Paris and later graduated from McKenzie High School. Mitch served as a navy medic in World War II and then went on to receive a degree in business from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and later, a Master of Business Administration from Marymount College of Virginia. Following his service with the U.S. Army during the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, he made the United States Army his career and retired as a colonel. Working as a finance officer in military intelligence, his service included numerous posts around the world. Following his retirement, Mitch lived in Annandale, Viriginia, and went on to work at the Pentagon as a private contractor. Following the death of his second wife, Janie, he returned to his hometown of McKenzie, most recently residing at Lakeside Senior Living.

He attended First Baptist Church of McKenzie where he served as an usher and on the finance committee. Mitch was actively involved in the local community, serving on the Planning Commission, the Act II and Sweet Tea Festival committees, and was a member of the Rotary Club. He also regularly gathered with friends to drink coffee and watch Tennessee football. His home was frequently the site of gatherings with family and friends for celebrations, holidays, retreats, swimming, cook-outs, playing ball, fishing, and playing in the snow.

Mitch was a mischievous free spirit who loved to tell stories (or tall tales) of past adventures. In keeping with his mischief, his family helped him accumulate quite a collection of ducks. Mitch loved to travel, hunt, fish, sail, play golf, and read. His hobbies also included photography, studying history, geography, and languages, listening to classical music, and collecting antique duck decoys. He spent his years of retirement enjoying his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Janie Carolyn (Dunavant) Mitchum, his sister Peggy (Mitchum) Bacigalupo, and great-granddaughter Lila Ruth Griffin.

Mitch is survived by his three children from his first marriage, Mark Kendrick (Svetlana) Mitchum of Kuwait, Carie Neal (Dan) Bradfield of McKenzie, and Lora Lee (Rick) Goforth of Covington; his daughter-in-law, Sherry Nelson Mitchum, of San Antonio; his eight grandchildren Julie Bradfield, Lisa (Ryan) Griffin, Blake (Amber) Goforth, Jana (Bubba) Stafford, Mark (Christy) Goforth, Brooks Mitchum, Luke Mitchum, and Witt Mitchum; his nine great-grandchildren Brayden Cooley, Lute McCaslin, Presley Goforth, Seth Stafford, Georgia Kate Goforth, George Goforth, Isaac Griffin, Briley Stafford, and Grady Goforth; his niece Carol Clough and his nephew Marty Bacigalupo.

Blake Goforth, Mark Goforth, Brooks Mitchum, Luke Mitchum, Witt Mitchum, and Bubba Stafford will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be John David Barker, Tommy Putman, Bill Moore, Lute McCaslin, Brayden Cooley, and Seth Stafford.

Brummitt-McKenzie Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.