To
date, Mitchell has visited 150-160 countries, cruised more than 450 days and
taken land trips totaling more than 160 days.
Wittenberg Magazine P.O. Box 720 Springfield, Ohio 45501-0720
Phone: (937) 327-6141 Fax: (937) 327-6112
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Alumni World
Gordon Mitchell '40
Cruises the World At 85, Gordon Mitchell has no plans to settle down. A former industrial relations manager in the manufacturing division of Republic Steel, Mitchell decided seven years ago to see the world, and see it he has.
“I have four trips planned for 2004 and will be running out of new countries to visit,” said Mitchell, who relies on Holland America cruise lines for much of his travel. “My aim is to see places I haven’t seen before.” One of only 5,000 people worldwide to embark on the company’s 96-day cruise through the southern hemisphere, Mitchell has also taken a 1,600-mile trek via train through the Australian Outback, enjoyed a safari in Botswan, ridden an elephant in Thailand, above, and toured Zimbabwe’s mile-wide Victoria Falls. In July, the globetrotter plans to head to Amsterdam for a 14-day cruise of England, Ireland, Iceland, Norway and Denmark followed by a 10-day cruise in October up the St. Lawrence River and down the East Coast to enjoy the fall colors. “There are so many beautiful spots,” Mitchell said. He counts the Taj Mahal in India, the Great Wall of China and the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xiang, China, among his favorites so far. Though retired, Mitchell’s interest in traveling began after Wittenberg, when he criss-crossed the country for Republic Steel with his wife of 56 years, Winnie. Following her death in May 1997, Mitchell decided to spend his retirement visiting places he once thought he and Winnie might visit together. “After losing my wife to lung cancer, I was faced with the decision of where do I go from here,” Mitchell said. “I don’t know how many days I have left, and I’m trying to get in as many trips as I can.” — Karen Gerboth ‘93
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