LEESBURG, Fla. — John Robbins Mitchell, Jr., 81, of The Plantation at Leesburg, Fla., died Sunday, June 1, 2008.

Arrangements are by All Faiths Cremation. No services will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Lake & Sumter, Tavares, FL www.hospicels.org.

Mr. Mitchell was born April 6, 1927, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the only child of John R. Mitchell Sr. and Loretta Belle (Michel) Mitchell.

He was raised on a farm a mile west of Churdan, Iowa. He attended Churdan High School where he played varsity basketball and sang in the glee club. He graduated in 1945.

He attended Grinnell College and graduated from Iowa State University in 1950.  He married Rosemary Duffy on Sept. 12, 1950, at St. Columbkille Catholic Church in Churdan.

He attended graduate school and pursued a career in animal science. He earned a master’s from the University of Arkansas and a doctorate from the University of Illinois. After completing graduate school in 1964, John worked for Commercial Solvents in Terre Haute, Ind. In 1968, the family moved to Muscatine, where John worked as a swine nutritionist at Kent Feeds, Inc. and achieved the title of vice president for Swine Nutrition. He retired in 1985, spending time in Arizona and Amelia Island, Fla. before moving to The Plantation at Leesburg, in 1993.

He was fond of his family, big bands, golf, the St. Louis Cardinals and hosting many parties for his friends throughout his life.  Since 1989 he enjoyed celebrating a number of reunions with members of his immediate family in Cape Cod, Mass; Estes Park and Winter Park, Colo.; Ketchikan Ark. and Lake Okoboji Iowa.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years; six children, Stephen Mitchell and wife, Lori of Estes Park, Colo., Jeannette (Paul Bourque) Mitchell of Norwell, Mass., David Mitchell and wife, Sandy of Fort Worth, Texas, Michael Mitchell and wife, Deborah of Littleton, Colo., Ann Michel “Mitzie” Mitchell (Frank Adams) Mitchell of Sierra Vista, Ariz. and Mark Mitchell and wife, Robin of Muscatine.; his 13 grandchildren are Jeffrey Mitchell of Boulder, Colo., John Paul Alexander and Olivia Bourque of Norwell Mass.; Matthew Mitchell of Peoria, Ill., Aaron Mitchell of Fort Worth, Texas, Matthew, Andrew and Molly Mitchell of Littleton, Colo.,  Megan and Katarina Mitchell and Emma and Sara Mitchell, all of Muscatine.