Kingston, NH — Harry Charles Mitchell, 80, died in his home after an eight month battle with cancer, on August 13. He was born May 29th, 1932, in Brooklyn, NY. He was the son of Charles and Diamanto MItchell.
Harry grew up in Cambridge and joined the Army at seventeen, serving his country in the Korean Conflict. He then went to Boston University where he received his bachelor of science and master's degrees, going on to become a teacher. He married his wife Elaine, of fifty-six years, in 1956 while attending college.
During the late sixties, he helped start the folk group called the Tripjacks (along with Len Phillips and Phil Miller). He played the banjo and fiddle while blending in his smooth baritone voice. They were signed by Squire Records and played the prestigious World's Fair in 1964. Although the group stopped touring in 1969, they played together until just a week before his death.
For the better part of two decades, he taught high school sociology and behavioral science at Arlington High School in Massachusetts.
In the early seventies, while still teaching in Arlington. he bought a standardbred race horse farm in Kingston, NH, where he trained, drove and raised harness horses. He trained horses in the morning, taught during the day, and then raced at night. During the seventies and eighties, he also raised cows, sheep, pigs, chickens and other various farm animals along side his race horses.
He retired from teaching in 1987 and became completely immersed as a horse trainer and farmer. He raced horses from Maine to New York and finally retired from the circuit in 2001. He lived the rest of his life on the self named Mitchell Farms in Kingston, enjoying life for the simple qualities he loved about it.
He is survived by his wife Elaine; sons, Douglas and Marc (Jen); sister, Mary; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
ARRANGEMENTS: A private service was already held at the farm. Condolences can be sent to Elaine Mitchell, 15 Exeter Road, Kingston, NH 03848 or to kngstonrecords@comcast.net.
