Rev. Marva Mitchell

5/27/2022

Rev. Marva Louise Washington-Mitchell, a retired pastor in the Louisiana Annual Conference of United Methodist Church, departed this life on Friday, May 27, 2022, at Touro Hospital at the age of 86. A native of New Orleans, she was born on January 8,1936 to the late Leon James Washington Sr. and Irma Louise Dabon Washington. Preceded in death by her youngest son, Marvin Louis Turner of Corpus Christi, TX and two brothers: Leon James Washington Jr. of San Francisco, CA and Lionel James Washington.

Marva is survived by her son, Cliff Vic Turner Jr. of Topeka, KS, her devoted sister Lois Irma Washington-Washington and loving bro-in-law Kenneth Washington, nieces: Patricia Ann Washington (Goddaughter), Krystal W. Chambers, MD (Kenneth) of Sandy Springs, GA, Renee W. Bellinger of Las Vegas, NV, Tracy Gibson and Vanessa Brown of San Francisco, CA, nephews: Steven Washington of Detroit, MI., Darren Brown of San Francisco, CA and Oliver James Washington; Goddaughter Pamela Stieb (Andrew), 7 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren.

Rev. Mitchell served in the Louisiana Conference local, district and general conference levels in the United Methodist Church. She was the first African-American woman to pastor a church in the Louisiana Conference and multi-racial congregation. She pastored St. Phillip, Felicity, St. Mark's (French Quarter) and St. James Hahnville UMC. She was Assistant Pastor at Bethany, Spirit Church and First Grace UMC. This status of first also preceded her as a corporate financial officer in banking for over 30 yrs.