Optical Firm Owner Dies
William P. Mitchell Was Civic Leader
William P. Mitchell, 59, one of the leading business and
civic leaders of Waynesvville, died in Fort Wood Hospital at 3:30 a.m. today.
He was owner of the Waynesville Optical Company, with far-reaching trade in
lenses for shooting glasses.
One of the civilian leaders in the successful effort to
obtain Ft. Wood as a permanent Army installation, Mr. Mitchell was widely known
over the Ozarks. He moved to Waynesville in 1947 and established his company,
first known as the Mitchell Optical Company.
Mr. Mitchell was born in Tennessee and had been in the
optical business more than 40 years. He started in Kansas City in 1914 with the
Columbia Optical Company. IN 1923 he studied optometry at the Needles Institute
of Optometry in Kansas City and established a branch office of the Columbia
firm in Oklahoma City. He later served as special representative in the middle
west with Bausch and Lomb for 18 years.
During World War II he manufactured optical elements for the
armed forces in St. Louis. He turned his attention to shooting glasses and
moved to Waynesville. In recent years he also has manufactured driving glasses,
designed to reduce glare and increase visibility at night.
Survivors include his wife, Jean and a son, William P., Jr.,
of Grapevine, Tex., and daughter, Mrs. Nancy Christy, Waynesville.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete pending word from
distant relatives. They will be under direction of Hedges. The request has been
made that instead of flowers donations be made toward a municipal swimming pool
for Waynesville.
Springfield Leader and Press
Springfield, Missouri
1 November 1956
Page 33
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