MITCHELL, POTTS

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Thursday, July 05, 2007 at 06:30:02 :

Marin Independent Journal
Tuesday, August 18, 1987
Page 4

Singer Nita Mitchell dies after long illness

Nita Mitchell, a singer and a composer of more than 350 songs and ballads, died Friday, Aug. 14, 1987, at Ross General Hospital after a long illness. The longtime Marin resident was 85.

Mrs. Mitchell was a native of Boston, Mass. She lived in San Rafael for the past 15 years, and before that lived in San Francisco.

She was the first singer to perform on San Francisco’s KYA radio station in 1926. In the early 1930s, she performed frequently on Meredith Wilson’s “Happy Go Lucky Hour” on KFRC radio in San Francisco.

Mrs. Mitchell then moved to Hollywood, where she wrote musical pieces that were used in several films.

She returned to San Francisco in 1938 and opened the Colonial Room cocktail lounge on Sutter Street. The lounge introduced the mint julep to San Francisco. Mrs. Mitchell operated it until 1943.

In 1972, Mrs. Mitchell moved to San Rafael, where she continued composing songs.

She is survived by a son, Francis Potts of Mill Valley; five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.