BATH

Ward 7 Bath City Councilor Leverett “Tink” Mitchell died last week at the age of 68 at Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick.

Speaking this morning, Council Chairwoman Mari Eosco called Mitchell’s passing “an unexpected blow to all of us.”

“Tink was in City Hall — as he was every day — the day before he was in the hospital,” Eosco said.

Mitchell was elected to the Bath City Council in 2002 and re-elected in 2005.

He ran again to fill a vacancy left by the passing of Ruthe Pagurko in 2012. At that time, he told The Times Record of the importance of attracting businesses to Bath, and the importance of reducing taxes.

“We’re taxing businesses at one of the highest rates in the country,” he said. “Somewhere along the line we’ve got to make some changes.”

He won that election and was re-elected in 2016. His term had been set to expire in December 2019.

Mitchell had been serving on numerous committees, including the Budget/Finance Committee and Sagadahoc County Communications

Center Board of Directors.

“He was such a fighter for the city of Bath,” Eosco said. “He worked so hard for the council. He did so much behind the scenes. … What he did on a daily basis — people didn’t realize.”

Eosco said Mitchell had been “dedicated to the city for all of his life.”

“He’s been fun to work with,” she said, reflecting on his work with the council. “He could always find the humor in situations. While he took things seriously, he could always find something we could joke about to make it lighter.”

Mitchell had also served with the Bath Fire Department for 27 years, the last four as chief.

The Bath native attended Bath schools and graduated from Morse High School in 1967 before serving for two tours in Vietnam in the Navy where he won the Bronze Star, according to information provided by Daigle Funeral Home.

He was employed for eight years by Bath Iron Works. He operated his own roofing business and was employed at Sable Oaks Horse Farm, the Bath Lodge of Elks, Hermit Island Campground and volunteered with many other organizations, according to Daigle. In 2005 he married Diane Maney.

He was very active in assisting fellow veterans with contact information and transportation in regards to the V. A. Hospital in Togus. He enjoyed playing golf, bowling and poker.

“Tink will be sorely missed,” said Eosco, “and I’m sure I speak for everyone when we say the city’s heart goes out to his family, who I’m sure needs some compassion at this time with this unexpected turn of event.”

Visiting hours will be from 5-8 p.m. on Saturday at Daigle Funeral Home, 819 High St. A celebration of life will be held on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the funeral home with fire department and military honors. A gathering of family and friends will follow at the American Legion Hall, 200 Congress Ave. Burial will be in the spring at Oak Grove Cemetery.

A full obituary — including information regarding memorial contributions — will appear in The Times Record.

jswinconeck@timesrecord.com.

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