Lyle Eugene Mitchell was born in Cainsville, Mo., June 17, 1946 to Doyle and Mary (Bower) Mitchell. Lyle was the youngest of three sons. He grew up on the family farm north of Cainsville. In 1962 he moved with his parents to Fort Collins, Colo.
After graduating from Fort Collins High School, Lyle attended Colorado State University where he majored in English and graduated in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. After spending a couple of years working for social services in San Francisco he returned to Colorado. Lyle worked for ten years in Denver, first at the Denver Post and later at the Auraria Library, before returning to Fort Collins where he worked for Colorado State University Libraries in the Morgan Library. He retired from Colorado State University in 2001.
Lyle was predeceased by both parents, his brother Gary and a nephew Aaron. Lyle is survived by his brother Alva and wife Mary (Blodgett) Mitchell of Bowie, Maryland and by sister-in-law Mary (Booth) Mitchell of Pittsburg, Kansas. Lyle is also survived by five nieces: Carla Wetzel, Cayle Stout, Carma Burns, Kristin Davis, and Sara Mitchell; and by three nephews: Justin Mitchell, Camron Mitchell, and Erik Mitchell. Lyle also leaves behind a close friend, Sam Mitchell, with whom he enjoyed many hours of stimulating discussions, and who assisted him gratefully as his health declined.
Lyle enjoyed many weekend trips to the mountains with his parents. After retiring, Lyle was active in local and state political organizations and with a post-polio support group. He enjoyed both reading and writing, as well as any Ken Burns documentary on PBS. He also enjoyed the companionship of his cat and pet guinea pigs. Lyle’s ashes will be interred at Zoar Cemetery near Cainsville, Mo.