Eugene Mitchell

Inheritance

Eugene Muse Mitchell was born to Carrie Lou Mitchell (nee Reynolds) and Stephens Mitchell of Atlanta, Georgia, on April 6, 1931. Stephens was the brother of Gone With The Wind author Margaret Mitchell. Mitchell was named after his grandfather Eugene Muse Mitchell.

Upon Margaret's death on August 16, 1949, her two nephews Eugene and Joseph Mitchell inherited $500 each from her estate. John R. Marsh, Margaret's husband, gained the rights to the estate upon her death. When Marsh died in 1952, the rights passed to Margaret's brother Stephens Mitchell, and then when he died the rights passed to his sons Eugene and Joseph.

Personal life

Mitchell attended the private Roman Catholic preparatory Marist High School in Atlanta, Georgia. After graduating, Mitchell attended Georgetown University and then the University of Georgia. He went on to the University of Chicago, where he earned a Masters Degree in economics. After earning his Masters, Mitchell predictably went to work in economics for some time.

He married Virginia "May" Moore, who he met at Christ the King Roman Catholic church.

Mitchell was a member of Mensa, the Scarab Club, and very active in his church through his life. He died on August 8, 2007, being survived by his wife and brother. Upon Mitchell's death, the Mitchell Estate passed in full to his brother.

Philanthropy

In 2002, Mitchell donated $1.5 million USD for a Margaret Mitchell Chair in Humanities and Social Sciences at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Morehouse College is historically an African American institution. In 2005, Mitchell donated another $1.5 million for scholarships for the Morehouse College School of Medicine The President of the Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. John E. Maupin Jr. stated, "From quietly giving support to black students to an endowed scholarship that bears his aunt's name, Eugene Mitchell made it possible for Margaret Mitchell's legacy to continue to help train minority physicians, leaving an impact on the Morehouse School of Medicine that will endure."

In 2004, Mitchell donated $667,000 to the Oakland Cemetery for the cemetery's preservation. Oakland Cemetery is where Margaret Mitchell and other Mitchell family members are buried. Upon his death, Mitchell was buried in the cemetery as well.