Elizabeth “Darlene” Mitchell, 86 of Newcomerstown

Elizabeth “Darlene” Mitchell, 86, of Newcomerstown, passed away peacefully on August 29, 2026 at Riverside Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Darlene was born on January 8, 1940, in Martins Ferry, Ohio, to the late Clyde and Hazel (Cannon) Mitchell. She was a proud and active member of the Order of the Eastern Star, where she served as Past Worthy Matron, and was also a member of the Jaycees. Darlene had a lifelong love of meaningful work and service, retiring at the age of 79 after a distinguished career in healthcare administration.

Her professional career began in the 1960s as a radiology technician at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. In the 1970s, she served as a social worker at Cambridge Mental Health and Developmental Center in Ohio. Committed to lifelong learning, Darlene returned to school and earned her master’s
degree in healthcare administration, specializing in adult and geriatric mental health, adolescent mental health, and addiction services. She later continued her career in corrections healthcare administration.Her work took her across several states, where she formed lasting friendships and earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues through her dedication, compassion, and leadership.

Darlene was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister. She is survived by her children, Dr. Phillip (Catherine) Schrickel, Scott (Jackie) Schrickel, and Joyce (Chuck McDowell) Schrickel; her grandchildren, Dr. Elizabeth Brooke Schrickel (Tabitha Lockhart), Dr. Emily Hope (Matthew) Schurtz, Jordan Jess Schrickel, Wesley (Kristin) Schrickel, and Philip (Mona) Schrickel; and her great-grandchildren, Owen Schurtz, Everett Schurtz, Anderson James Schurtz, Anna Schrickel, Conley Schrickel, Bear Schrickel and Alistar Schrickel. She is also survived by many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her children’s father, Dr. Henry Schrickel; her brother Alfred Mitchell; a granddaughter, Leslie Joyce Schrickel; and her sisters, Barb Stewart, Sue Wright and Phyllis Spragg.

Darlene embraced grand moments. Her favorite holiday was Christmas, and no matter where her travels took her, she always returned home to celebrate with family, sharing stories and thoughtful gifts gathered along the way. She treasured shopping trips, discovering unique and eclectic restaurants, and cheering on her beloved Ohio State Buckeyes. She was especially proud to be a dedicated supporter of The Best Damn Band in the Land (TBDBITL) while her grandchildren attended The Ohio State University.

Above all, Darlene will be remembered for her strength and independence. 

A Grandson’s Tribute
Of all the names Darlene carried throughout her life, one of the most cherished was “Grandy.” It was a name she chose for herself—distinctive, stylish, and entirely her own, just like the woman behind it. Her grandson Jordan shares these words in loving tribute to the grandmother whose unmistakable presence, laughter, glamour, and love left a mark that will never fade.

Grandy’s Song
You are fabulous. You are fur coats and lipstick. You’ve become style and flair. You are never quite on time, but somehow, when it mattered, you were always there.

And if Grandy kissed you on the cheek, everyone knew it—because you wore that kiss around with you in the form of a perfect lipstick mark.

I don’t know how to put into words what it feels like to write this to you. Maybe because writing it makes time feel too real, and I don’t want to think about a world where all of these little things become memories.

But I want you to know that I remember them.

I remember the glamour and the personality. I remember the woman who decided that “Grandma” simply wouldn’t do and gave herself a name that was entirely her own. Of course you did.

There is something so “wonderfully you” about that. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that the people we love leave little pieces of themselves everywhere.
In the things we say. In the things we find beautiful. In the way we laugh. In traditions we don’t even realize we’re keeping. Sometimes even in the way we put ourselves together before walking out the door.

And there is so much of you that will stay.
I hope you know how lucky I feel that I got to call you Grandy.
I hope you know that when I remember you, I won’t only remember this part. I’ll remember the fabulous woman underneath the fur. The lipstick. The flair. The lateness. The laughter. The stories. The presence.

Most of all, I’ll remember that you were there.
There are people who pass through our lives quietly, and then there are people who leave lipstick on our cheeks.

You, Grandy, left your mark. And I will carry it with me always. But you’ll always be my Grandy. I love you, Darlene.
Love,
Jordan