Master Sergeant Rodney L. Mitchum

     Master Sergeant Rodney L. Mitchum, USAF retired, age 76, went off into the wild blue yonder, climbing high into the sun on January 16th, 2020. Rodney was currently a resident of the Bill Nichols VA Home in Alexander City, Alabama. He had battled Parkinson’s for the last ten years.

     He was born on October 21st, 1943 in West Point, Georgia to Herschel and Mary Mitchum. The family later moved to the Valley community of Riverview. Upon graduating Valley High School in 1963 he joined the United States Air Force. A veteran of the Vietnam war, he served his country for 21 years. In addition to serving in Vietnam, he served in Germany and Spain. After retiring from the USAF, he began his second career working with West Point Pepperell / Stevens / Home as a computer technician. It was during this second career that he was able to complete his college degree at Troy University. Not only did he serve his country but he served his church, Riverview Baptist Church, as a Deacon, and served the City of Valley as Councilman for 12 years.

     While serving in the USAF, he met and married the love of his life Carlene. At the time of their marriage Carlene had five children. Although they were not of his blood, he loved them as his own.

     He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Carlene Mitchum; and grandson, Larry French; brothers, Frankie and Landon Jones. 

     He is survived by his brothers, Frankie (Rhonda) Mitchum and Fuller (Jane) Mitchum; sister, Donna Faye Stimac;  his children, Jimmy (Doris) O’Sail, Ricky (Brenda) O’Sail, Michael O’Sail, Teresa O’Sail, and Cathy McCutcheon; his grandchildren, Lisa (Daniel) Thomas, Jessica (Antiown) Freeman, Elizabeth Branham, Jason O’Sail, Daniel (Kerith) O’Sail, Mary (Matthew) Rush, Lydia (Gunner) Billingsley, Sarah (Shane) O’Sail, Sherrie Kornegay, and Crystal (Mickel) Young; his twenty-one great grandchildren; his three great-great grandchildren.

     Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, January 21st, 2020 at 11:00 AM (EST) at the Riverview Baptist Church in Valley, Alabama. Interment with military honors will follow in Fairview Cemetery. The Reverend Lanny Sledge will officiate. The family will receive friends Monday evening from 6:00 until 8:00 PM (EST) at the Johnson Brown-Service Funeral Home in Valley. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Riverview Baptist Church in is memory. 

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