Clair and Elin Mitchell

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Elin Mitchell........Clair Mitchell

Clair and Elin Mitchell quietly served their church and community for many years. It was the Mitchell’s generous gift to the church that helped allow for the construction of the new Alcester United Church of Christ in 1986.

Elin Sjoquist was born January 3, 1899 in Smolands Annaberg, Sweden, to parents Carl and Augusta Sjoquist, and entered into death at the age of 80 on February 22, 1979.

Elin was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith in Sweden. She immigrated to the United States as a young girl and moved to the Alcester area. She was married to Engve Johnson and the couple made their home in the Alcester area. Engve died in October 1956.

Clair Norman Mitchell was born April 1, 1903 in Union County, South Dakota, the son of Norman and Amy Finn Mitchell and entered into death on March 25, 1985 at the age of 81.

Clair grew up in Union County and farmed in the Alcester area all of his working life.

Elin and Clair married on January 31, 1968 in Alcester, and the couple continued to farm in the Alcester area until Elin moved to the Morningside Manor Nursing Home in 1978.

Elin was a member of the Alcester United Church of Christ and served on the Women’s Fellowship. Clair was a quiet man who continued to attend church after Elin’s death in 1979.

Because of their contributions to their church and community, the fellowship hall in the Alcester United Church of Christ is known as Mitchell Hall, and the street on which the church is located is known as Mitchell Drive.