John Michael Mitchem, age 77, of Marietta, Ohio passed away peacefully on January 5th, 2026, from a long-traveled road with Parkinson’s, in his home surrounded by love and family. John was born in St. Joesph's Hospital in Parkersburg, WV on April, 22nd, 1948. He was the son of Howard & Rita Mitchem of Marietta, Ohio.
John was blessed to be married to his high school sweetheart, Mara Kidd Mitchem for 61 years.
He is survived by his wife Mara, and his four children; Amy Stollar (Dave) of Millersport, OH, David Mitchem (Amy Lynne) of Marietta, OH, Tiffanie Craven (Jason) of Marietta, OH, & Melary Banziger (Dean) of Williamstown, WV., in addition to eight grandchildren; Mollie Westerman, Murphy Mitchem, Christopher Stollar, Steven Stollar, Courtney Craven, Jacob Craven, Andrew Banziger & Samantha Banziger, and eight great-grandchildren; Amelia, Zoey, Baylor, Callum, Jasper, Weston, Eugene, Thatcher. John’s surviving siblings are Rosalie McDonald, Agnes Hawkins, Jerry Mitchem, Joseph Mitchem, and Mary Jane Blum.
John is proceeded in death by his parents, and his brother-in-laws Jonathan Hawkins & John Kidd.
John is a graduate of Warren Local High School class of 1966. He was a long-time employee of Forma Scientific (Thermo Fisher Scientific) from 1966-2005 and then went to work for & retired from Caron in 2017. Basketball held a special place in John’s heart, and he devoted over 33 years to the game by faithfully volunteering as the scorekeeper for Warren High School basketball from 1984 to 2017. Whether watching the game, discussing stats, or cheering from the sidelines, basketball brought him genuine happiness. He lovingly followed his grandchildren’s extracurricular pursuits and cherished every opportunity to watch them compete and grow. He was an avid boater, hunter, and fisherman who cherished time spent outdoors with his family.
John will be deeply missed by his beloved wife, his family, friends, and all whose lives he touched. His legacy lives on in the values he modeled, the stories he shared, and the love he gave so freely.
A devout Catholic, John was a lifetime member of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption, where they will hold a Mass of Christian Burial on Monday, January 12th 2026 at 10am with Fr. Edward Maxfield officiating. Visitation will be held at CAWLEY & PEOPLES FUNERAL HOME, 408 Front St. Marietta, Ohio on Sunday, January 11th, 2026 from 2pm-4pm & 6pm-8pm with a Vigil Service at 4pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his honor to Cawley Hospice or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
Cawley & Peoples Funeral Home is honored to serve John’s family and offers online condolences and many other resources on their website, www.CawleyandPeoples.com, or through following their Facebook page.
