Iva Lorene Mitchell

Iva Mitchell was born on March 27, 1925 in Jenny Lind, Arkansas to W.O. and Ethel Howard. She was the sixth born in the family of ten children. Her Dad farmed with eight sons, while Iva chose to work beside her Mother, cooking and taking care of the family. Iva gave her heart to Jesus as a twelve year old girl. She met her husband, Robert, at age fifteen in church and they were married two years later. They lived in California while he was in the Army. After his service they moved back to their hometown of Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Together they ran a small grocery store, then progressed to buying small homes, cleaning, repairing and reselling them. They had four children: Wayne, Glenda, Joann and Gary. They were blessed with eight grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren. God gave Iva a nurturing heart. She cherished each family member. Her faith in her Lord Jesus Christ was expressed in her gentleness and her steady prayers. As a modest woman, she sought to help others and encourage them. As Iva stayed home to raise the children, Robert worked at building a career in hotel construction, which ultimately spanned 55 years. In 2005, Robert and Iva celebrated 63 years of marriage, before Robert's passing. Together they enjoyed crappie fishing at Ft. Gibson Lake, trout fishing in Colorado and hosting family parties. Iva accompanied her husband in his hobby - racing thoroughbred horses at Oaklawn Park. One of their horses qualified for and ran in the Kentucky Derby. The joy for Iva was seeing the family show up and the excitement of taking pictures in the winner's circle. Iva is widely known by her loved ones for her cheerful spirit and her contagious sense of humor. In her final years, her laughter and joy prevailed as she was loved by RoseRock Hospice and respected by the staff of Colonial Oaks (Autumn Leaves) where she resided. The family is thankful that God drew Iva in faith as a child and never left her side. He received her beautiful spirit January 21, 2021. Her family and friends are grieving the loss of such a supportive relationship, one that exemplified God's unconditional love. Please understand we request a private family time to share our special memories and remembrances. We cherish your prayers and would receive any words of sympathy through Moore Funeral Homes, Tulsa. Thank you God, for the joy of knowing and having the privilege to be loved by such a sweet spirit. In closing, Iva's words written to Robert on his 80th birthday expressed her faithful heart: "I thank you and my God for our wonderful children who are the light of my life. As years go by and times are rough, we'll never grow apart for family times and true love will keep us close in heart."

Iva Lorene Mitchell

March 27, 1923 - January 21, 2021