Thomas Mitchell

Thomas Mitchell (affectionately known by all as “Tommy”) was born on August 8, 1956, in Newark, New Jersey to the late Lee Mitchell and Pearline Porch Mitchell. He was the youngest of six children.  In addition to his parents, two brothers preceded him in death: David L. Mitchell and Frederick “Freddie” Mitchell. 

As a youth, Tommy and his family lived on Dayton Street.  They later moved to the Vailsburg section of Newark.  He attended South Side High School but graduated from Barringer High School in 1975.  During his teenage to young adult years, Tommy was known as Boxing Terrell, making a name for himself as a skilled street boxer in and around the city.  He loved the sport of boxing and often taught the sport to young boys.

On August 26, 1978, at age 22, Tommy married his high school sweetheart, Deborah “Debbie” Duckworth in Newark, New Jersey.  No children were born to their union.  

Tommy’s spiritual journey began when he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord & Savior shortly after he was married. He and his wife became members of New Point Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey.  In 1984, at 28 years old, he was baptized and became a member of Faith Christian Fellowship, later renamed Living Praise Church in Bloomfield, New Jersey.  There he was a part of the Prison Ministry team and later taught in the church’s bible school. In 1990, he joined Faith Fellowship Ministries World Outreach Center in Edison and Sayreville, New Jersey where he served as a Deacon and a member of the Prison Ministry team. 

Tommy worked at Greystone Park State Psychiatric Hospital in Morristown, New Jersey for five years.  He was also a self-taught barber.  Over the years, he amassed quite a number of clients and decided to pursue a professional career in barbering.  In in 2001, he attended and graduated from American Barber Institute and was licensed by the New York State Education Department as a Barber.  He retired as a Master Barber.

An avid student of the Bible, Tommy loved sharing his faith with others.  His desk was always full of books, Bibles, audio teaching tapes and writing journals.  For many years he participated and shared on a Tuesday night telephone Bible Study.

Tommy never met a stranger; he used his funny comedic personality to draw people to Christ.  People loved being around him whenever he shared his hilariously funny and animated stories.  He was the life of the party; to know him was to love him.  His life is simply encapsulated in Maya Angelou’s quote:

“People will forget what you said,

people will forget what you did,

but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Tommy left an indelible footprint on so many. 

One of the last journal notes written by Tommy:

Even in the midst of troubles, my Father shall deliver me from them all with a high hand of deliverance.  I Corinthians 10:13 says,

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

God shall deliver me from them all!

On August 26, Tommy and Debbie quietly celebrated 45 years of marriage.  Two days later, he transitioned peacefully on August 28, 2023, at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey.  He was 67 years old.

Tommy leaves to cherish his memories: his loving wife, Deborah Mitchell (Matawan, NJ), daughter: Tamika Bouler (Newark, NJ), grandchildren: Dream Richardson and Nyriq Batts; sisters: Marie Harper (Richmond Hill, GA) and Penny Mitchell (Newark, NJ); brothers: Wardell Mitchell (Irvington, NJ) and Elijah Mitchell (Newark, NJ); in-laws: Wiley & Cleola Bush (Parlin, NJ) and Emanuel & Betty Jones (Jacksonville, FL); brothers-in-law: Leo Dennis Duckworth (Edison, NJ), Wiley Bush, Jr. (Perth Amboy, NJ); sisters-in-law: Diane Bush (Edison, NJ), Patricia Bush Crump (spouse, Linwood) (Sayreville, NJ), Martha Bush Cooper (spouse, Jeffery) (Piscataway, NJ), nieces: [Michelle Harper Brockett (spouse, James), Lola Harper, Monique Harper, Tunisha Mitchell, Veronica Mitchell, Monique Mitchell, Rainere Stokes, Michelle Mitchell]; [Cimone Crump, Alanni Crump]; nephews: [George Harper (deceased), Miles Harper, Michael Mitchell, David Mitchell, Jr., Sharif Bobbitt, Brian Mitchell]; [Antwan Taylor, Shawne Bush (deceased), Tyrell Bush, Linwood Crump, Tyree Cooper (spouse, Tandria), Rashon Cooper (spouse, Kathleen) and Sherrod Cooper]; godsons: Charles Jones Jr. (June Bug), Scotte Jones and Michael Jones; and a host of other relatives.

         Funeral Arrangements are being handle by The Crabiel Home for Funeral’s located 170 N. Main Street & Riva Ave Milltown, NJ 08850. There will be a wake on September 8^th 2023, at EPIC Church International 2707 Main St. Sayreville, NJ 08872, from 9:00-10:00am. Funeral service will then follow from 10:00-11:15am. Interment will take place at Rosehill Cemetery 350 E Linden Ave, Linden, NJ 07036. You may sign the online guestbook at www.crabiel.com