Nancy Lee Ryan Mitchell, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend passed away peacefully in Sarasota, FL on February 11, 2024, with her husband and sister in attendance.

Born on June 21, 1945, in Pontiac, Michigan to the late Donald E Redmond and Shirley L Redmond (Stowell). Nancy grew up in Drayton Plains and graduated from Waterford Kettering in 1963. She continued her education at Central Michigan University, earning a BS in Social Science, academically, and becoming a member of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority and Tau Kappa Episilon sweetheart , socially. While attending CMU, she married the late John E Ryan in 1966 and after graduation received a Masters in School Counseling from Detroit Mercy.  

Nancy served her 32 year professional career with the Rochester Education Association and Rochester Community Schools District. She was part of the original staff that opened Rochester Adams High school in 1970 as a Guidance Counselor. Her dedication to her work earned her Michigan Counselor of the Year in 1991 and President of Michigan Association of College Acceptance Counselors. She enjoyed staying up to date on many of her former student’s success stories after they left Adams, most notably, Madonna Ciccone…yes, that Madonna.  

While at Adams she married James L Mitchell in 1984 and resided in the Troy area for nearly 30 years. Several years after retiring, they made the decision to make Venice, Florida their permanent home. She enjoyed her remaining years by relaxing/floating in the home pool, dancing at beach church, walking St. Armand’s Circle, attending community clubhouse events, gathering for sun-filled lunches/sunset dinners with her husband/friends, and receiving updates on her children and, especially, her granddaughters. 

She is survived by her devoted husband James L Mitchell, her two proud children: daughter Molly Stapelman, of Berkley; and son Mark Ryan (Morgan), of Birmingham, her two step children: Gary Mitchell (Connie) and Nanci Berry, her 3 beautiful granddaughters, Katie, Kelly and Ryan Stapelman, her loving sister Lynelle Rye and niece, Lindsay Rye-Zilka. She is preceded in death by her older brother, Baron Redmond.

Memorial is scheduled for Saturday, March 23rd, @ Unity Church of Royal Oak, 2500 Crooks Rd, Royal Oak, 48073, from 11 am to 2:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lucky Fin Project, in Nancy’s memory.

Though Nancy may no longer be in our sight or touch, may her loving heart and joyous spirit continue to bring a smile in her memory. 

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