Obituary for Doris Arlene Bolton Mitchell January 19, 1939-August 17, 2021 (written by her)
I have always felt that I was the luckiest person alive to be born to William and Sara (Robinson) Bolton at home in Westmore, MT. I was the 5th of their 6 children. It was a loving household full of laughter and joy. While we lived in the Westmore area, it was sledding and ice skating in the winter (mostly with dad) and enjoying my mother’s homemade breads and cooking. During the summer it was helping with the garden, picking potato bugs off the plants, and climbing the sand dunes. We had chickens, pigs, goats, milk cows and a horse or two.
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We moved to Ismay in 1944 and then we roller-skated, played outdoors, climbed the hills behind Ismay and played all sorts of games in the evening like: Hide and Seek, Run Sheepy Run, and Annie I Over. There was no TV, no video games, and oh what a delightful way to live. We had popcorn parties (popcorn popped the old-fashioned way), fudge making parties, taffy pulls and dancing. We moved to Wisconsin in 1947 to a dairy farm north of Barron and spent almost a year there before moving back to Ismay in 1948. I attended the Ismay Public Schools through my freshman year of high school. Then I attended Custer County High School in Miles City, MT and graduated from it in 1957.
I had several jobs in Miles City including being a cab dispatcher and waitress in a couple different restaurants. I met Robert Mitchell there and we eloped in May of 1959. We took off for California and lived in Sacramento until 1966. After Bob graduated college in 1963, I attended Sutter Community Hospitals School of Radiology and graduated in 1966 as a radiology tech. We loved Sacramento and thought that would be our permanent home. It was close to San Francisco, Reno, Lake Tahoe and the beautiful mountains in those areas. We cut our own Christmas trees, went sledding down the mountains on cardboard sleds, managed a small apartment complex and extended our circle of friends. Aerospace jobs moved us to St. Louis for 1 ½ years where we gained more friends and I worked at Deaconess Hospital. Our move to Florida found me working in the Occupational Health Facility at Kennedy Space Center, where I worked until the end of the Apollo program in 1974. The base support contract was held by TWA and then PAA so Bob and I flew about whenever the opportunity arose.
I worked in local medical offices in Titusville until I threw in the towel in 1993. Bob retired in 1995 and from then on we spent our summers in Montana and our winters in Florida. The best part of all this is that our circle of friends continued to expand and we got to know our nieces and nephews so much better. Bob passed away in 2013 but I continued to split my time between Florida and Montana.
Arlene was preceded in death by Bob (Robert Mitchell), parents William Sr. and Sara Bolton, sisters Vee Wilkins, Delles Sleeth, Kristi Bolton, brother Claire Bolton, sisters-in-law Pauline Bolton and Connie Bolton, and brother-in-law Perry Wilkins. Survived by brother Bill (William Jr.) Botlon of Miles City, and so many fantastic nieces, nephews, great and great-great nieces and nephews, lots of cousins, wonderful friends from around the country and world, and God-daughter Carol Mann Muniz and her family. I was so well blessed in my life that I got to love so many people, starting with my parents, my brothers and sisters, my Bob, all of my nieces, nephews, great and great-greats. So many wonderful friends are included in that circle of love and considered extended family. If every child could have had the home life and love I had, we wouldn’t have so many problems in the world.
Arlene loved family, friends and animals, especially birds and cats. Her love of cats was evident by the many she and Bob had and by them being the “second home” for Carmello (Mr. Whiskers) in MT and a neighbor’s cat in Florida. She will be greatly missed by all.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to your favorite animal charity in Arlene’s name.
Service Schedule
Funeral Service
11:00 am
Saturday September 4, 2021
Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home
245 Westwind Ln
Forsyth, MT 59327
Luncheon
Saturday September 4, 2021
Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home
245 Westwind Lane
Forsyth, MT 59327
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Nancy Pering Gilbertson says
From Ismay, Montana to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, deemed the most fascinating job of the CCHS Class of 1957. Wish I could have been there to hear the roar of lift-off and the ground tremors when there was a launch.
Enjoyed our many visits and knowing your sisters and Claire, Bill and Connie, Bill Sr. and Sara. I know there was much laughter in your life. Its your turn to fly high now.
Connie Brown says
What a wonderful written obituary, wish I would have known Doris!
Marie Root says
As me late sainted fodda , Dan Root, would have said, “when the good Lord made Arlene Bolton Mitchell, she broke the mold.” Rest in peace, darlin’ Arlene. You’ve been spared the dread Montana winter, and you are re-united with your beloved Bob. We miss you so much already.
Love and more love, cousin marie
Melanie Sleeth says
As well as being my aunt, Arlene was my best friend, my confidant, and my sanity anchor. We spent many hours on the phone laughing ourselves silly over our foibles and of the world in general. Even though we didn’t get to see each other in person all that often when we did it was always a delightful experience. I don’t think Arlene had a mean bone in her body. She always seemed to be happy. I don’t remember her ever getting really angry at anybody or anything. Her passing will leave a great void in my life. I take comfort in the fact that she’s back with Bob and all the people that have gone on before her. My dear Arlene you will be missed and remembered by many people.
Debbie Bitter Mann says
Never did expect that when I put Arlene on a plane at the end of April that it would be the last time I would see her. Arlene has been an important part of my live since I was a child. She and Bob began as dear friends of my Mom and Dad and soon became important to their four kids. After we had all moved away from Titusville and would come back for a visit and Arlene always hosted a gathering of all we knew so we could visit. But that was Arlene. When I became pregnant I knew without hesitation that I wanted Bob and Arlene to be Godparents to our precious daughter. They loved her as their own and spoiled her when given a chance. When my husband, daughter and I moved back to Titusville we felt lucky to find a house just around the corner from them. We spent much time together with meals, playing games and of course the holidays. The last several years whether here or in Montana we have had coffee together every Friday morning. I will so miss our time together where laughed and cried as we tried to solve the world’s problems. We love you Arlene and will miss you but take comfort knowing that you are with your Bob again.
Denise Peterson Goodwyn says
Lovely written story! Rest In Peace from the Arnold Peterson family (distant cousins).
Julie Wainwright says
Julie Wainwright from uk.what a lovely lady,it was an honour to have known her.You will be sadly missed Arlene and will be always in are hearts.Rest in peace from Julie and family (friends).
philip wilkins says
jeanie and i , philip wilkins, loved arlene beyond words. we had many wonderful talks on the phone about love hope and learning at our ages. she really admired the fact that i and jeanie took care great care of her dear sister vee[wilkins] bolton after she quit driving. i could feel her admiration in our talks. we did alot of laughing on the phone, that will be remembered and missed thruogh the years. god bless you arlene for being the understanding love of our lives. philip[flipper]wilkins and jeanie [jean] schultz
Mary Stuckey says
My dear Arlene has been my best friend for 30+ years, when Bob and Arlene lived in Sacramento, Ca. We’ve been
in contact regularly through the years and our calls were always filled with humor and solving world problems.
I thought of Arlene as my living angel, when she volunteered her work time to be with my mom. My mom was in
stage 4 cancer so Arlene spent time caring for her from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. until I came home.
I shall never forget this lovely lady and may the Angels in Heaven greet her with open arms.
Rest in peace my dear friend Arlene.
Carol Stevens says
I met Arlene in St. Louis Missouri at a softball game. Our husbands played for the McDonell team. That was the beginning of a friendship that lasted 54 years! Our husbands were then transferred from St. Louis to Titusville Florida. Later, when I remarried Arlene was my maid of honor. She was always there for me and my boys. What wonderful memories! Arlene was my best friend and I will miss her dearly! Carol & Emil Stevens
Allen Nichols says
We met the Mitchell’s in 1996. Bob was working with Habitat for Humanity as I was. Then we became golfing buddies, and we became friends. We went on a cruise together. Bob passed away on my birthday and my wife Louise passed away on Arlene’s what a coincidence. My daughter Cara and I had dinner with Arlene a couple weeks before she went to Montana. She was a very good friend. I was shocked to hear of her passing. I will miss her visits as she would always cheer me up.
Dale Hirchert says
As a close family friend, I’ve known Bob & Arlene for over 40 years. Hard to believe that both of them are no longer with us. A number of things come to mind when thinking about Arlene: never an unkind word toward others; accepted people for who they were; her wonderful meals; and of course her scotch. What a wonderful cook Arlene was. We enjoyed a countless number of dinner gatherings that were always so relaxing, my favorites were those at the Titusville home where we could sit on the porch and enjoy the peacefulness of the backyard along with the shade of the trees and the cool breezes. I can still picture her driving that white Mustang, something I know she never really wanted to let go. So many memories to live on and share with others. While Arlene lived 82 years and had a great life, it just seems as if she had many more years ahead of her. Bob & Arlene were more than good friends, we considered them to be like extended family. So rare the occurrence to have people in your life like Bob & Arlene. I’m thankful to God for blessing us with them in our lives.