Remembering Jim "Buppy" Mitchell

Jim "Buppy" Douglas Mitchell, who grew up in Island Park and later settled in Saint Charles, Missouri, died on May 28. He was 75.

Buppy grew up in Island Park, where he earned a reputation as a practical joker. That developed into a warm and outgoing personality that drew people to him. He was always able to make the people around him laugh.

According to his son, Jim Mitchell Jr., Buppy loved three things: practical jokes, softball and singing. And he was good at two of them. "He was also a man that had some unique ideas," Mitchell wrote in his father's obituary. "He told my mom he wanted to either be cremated; or, mounted and stuffed with a 'surprised look' and placed in the corner of her living room. He said it’d look great for parties. Needless to say, he’ll be cremated later this week."

For his whole life, Buppy was an athlete. He played baseball, then later softball, basketball and handball. He started a senior softball league to share his love of the game with others. When his team in St. Louis, the Falling Arches, became too strong, he broke up the team and spread the talent around the league to create better parity. To him, playing the game was more important than winning.

"[He was] an amazing and funny man, my best friend, a dedicated and caring husband, an endlessly entertaining father-in-law and Jimpa (grandpa sounded too old to him), and a friend to all," Mitchell wrote. "You didn’t tell me how to be a good man and what I must do; you lived that life and made sure I saw, and gave me the road map I can follow."

Buppy is survived by his wife of 44 years, Linda; his children James (Tanya) Mitchell, Jr. and Tanya (Kevin) Kaczor; his grandchildren Kailey Luce, Taryn Kaczor, Kerra Kaczor, Trevor Kaczor and Kaitlyn Mitchell; and his sister Carol (Barry) Trachtenberg. He was pre-deceased by his parents Charles and Nonie Mitchell; his brother Charles Mitchell, Jr.; and his sisters Nonie Loehr, Dorrial O'Donnell and Veve Sikinger.

Photo Courtesy Mitchell Family