Mary Ann (Pardon) Mitchell

Mary Ann (Pardon) Mitchell, 83, of Paducah, Kentucky, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at her home in Paducah, KY. She was surrounded by her loving family who ensured her final days were just as she wished, in her own home under the care of her children and Hospice of Mercy Health.

Ann was born June 3, 1942, in Daviess County, to the late Dr. Frank Pardon, Sr. and Mary Rose Karn Pardon. She grew up in Owensboro, KY with her two brothers, Henry (Hank) and Frank Jr. (Frankie). Ann attended St. Stephen’s Catholic School, Owensboro Catholic High School, and Brescia College in Owensboro, where she met her future husband, Jesse Willard (Pete) Mitchell II of Princeton, KY. She was a devoted Catholic and lived her life connected to God’s will of love, compassion, care, and forgiveness.

We will forever remember Ann for the beautiful family she created. She was a proud mother to her eight children: Pete, Brian, Cliff, Kathy, Kelly, Tina, Annie, and Nancy Rose. Her legacy of kindness lives on in her loving family of eight children and their spouses, her twenty grandchildren, and seventeen great-grandchildren. She loved spending time with her family, including numerous joyful births, baptisms, first communions, graduations, weddings, holidays, and celebrations.

Ann loved telling stories about growing up in Owensboro, riding horses on her family farm, spending time with her girlfriends, driving her dad’s cars, and funny adventures along the way. She had an excellent memory and remarkably remembered the special details of her extended family. In her final days she continued to tell interesting stories and proudly list each of her many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She reminded them to “be good,” “take care of one another,” and to “not fuss over her.” These simple, yet meaningful requests reflect how Ann lived her life as a good, caring, and humble woman of God.

She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Christopher Roberts and Mary Rock Aud Karn, Henry Francis and Isla Hamilton Pardon; her mother, Mary Rose Karn Pardon; her father, Dr. Frank Pardon Sr.; her brothers, Frank Jr. and Dr. Henry “Hank” Pardon; her husband of 47 years, Jesse Willard “Pete” Mitchell II; her granddaughter, Abigail Cozette Swoope; and her daughters-in-law Krista Underwood Mitchell (Pete) and Lisa Doughty Mitchell (Cliff).

She is survived by her loving children, Jesse Willard “Pete” Mitchell III of Paducah, KY; Brian Mitchell (Sharon) of Huntsville, AL; Cliff Mitchell of Franklin, TN; Kathy Mitchell Caruthers (Johnny) of Paducah, KY; Kelly Mitchell Sikes (Doug) of Morley, MO; Tina Mitchell Claypool (Steve) of Louisville, KY; Annie Mitchell Swoope (Tyler) of Benton, KY; and Nancy Mitchell Scott (Kevin) of Benton, KY.

Over the last 40 years, Ann was known as Mamaw to her twenty precious grandchildren, whom she loved beyond words. She provided tireless grandmotherly love and care for each of them over the years and taught many of them how to dive off the diving board. Surviving are Christopher Mitchell (Diana) of Winchester, KY; Manda Mitchell Childress (Cole) of Nashville, TN; Emily Sikes Blattel (Ryan) of Kelso, MO; Elizabeth Sikes Richter of Louisville, KY; Casey Mitchell Johnson (Ben) of Murfreesboro, TN; Ellen Sikes Gipson (Steve) of Cape Girardeau, MO; Molly Mitchell Bell (Casey) of Huntsville, AL; Wil Sikes (Elizabeth) of St. Louis, MO; Scarlett Mitchell Frazier (Justin) of Clarksville, TN; Dexter Caruthers (Liv) of Bettendorf, IA; Patrick Caruthers of Paducah, KY; Courtney Mitchell of Houston, TX; Ethan Mitchell of Paducah, KY; Natalie Claypool of Chapel Hill, NC; Katie Caruthers of Louisville, KY; Zoie Swoope of Lexington, KY; Jake Claypool of Louisville, KY; Ty Swoope of Benton, KY and Macy Scott of Benton, KY.

Ann’s beautiful family went on to bless her with seventeen precious Great-grandchildren who will continue to share her kindness in our world. Surviving are Gordie, Owen, Rosemary, Felicity, Bernadette, and baby on-the-way Johnson; Aiden and Palmer Bell, Isla and Adeline Frazier; Barrett Richter; Nolan and Clara Blattel; Ruth and Lewis Gipson; Scottie and Guy Sikes.

A memorial service will be held at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Paducah, KY, on September 20, 2025. Additional funeral arrangements are underway with Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Paducah and will be shared once finalized. The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to Mercy Health Hospice for their compassionate care and support during Ann’s final days. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Mercy Health Hospice by Compassus of Paducah.

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