William A. “Bill” Mitchell

William A. “Bill” Mitchell of Quincy, recently retired General Counsel of the MBTA and member of the MBTA Retirement Board, passed away Friday, March 23, 2012, surrounded by loving family and friends. In a long and distinguished career dedicated to public service, Mr. Mitchell served the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for more than three decades. Mr. Mitchell had a prominent career in law that stemmed from his interest in history and government, subjects he taught at Broad Meadows Junior High School where he was also a coach. A graduate of Quincy High School, Bridgewater State College and Suffolk University Law School, Bill was admitted to the bar in 1976. The following year, he was appointed Assistant Attorney General by Attorney General Francis X. Bellotti. He became the chief of the building construction section, and went on to be the Chief of the Civil Bureau. He also was the Chairman of the Contributory Retirement Appeals Board (CRAB). He continued as Civil Bureau Chief with Attorneys General James Shannon and Scott Harshbarger. Bill moved to private practice with Cosgrove, Eisenberg and Kiley where he practiced civil and criminal litigation. In 1995, Mitchell was appointed General Counsel of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, where he would serve under five Governors, ten Secretaries of Transportation, and six MBTA General Managers. In August of 2009, Mitchell began serving as interim General Manager of the nation’s fifth largest transit system. In March of 2010, Mitchell resumed his role as General Counsel, and continued in that capacity until his retirement this year. Mr. Mitchell had many interests, foremost of which was golf of which he was a student extraordinaire. He was a founding member of Granite Links Golf Club in Quincy, and the MFIC’s. He traveled extensively with his family and friends and the Kileys to Ireland, South Africa, England, Europe, the Caribbean, Hawaii and throughout the United States. Mr. Mitchell’s greatest passion by far was his family, his children were his greatest joy. Beloved husband of Corinne F. (Donovan) Mitchell. Loving and devoted father of Courtney Mitchell of Quincy and Michael Mitchell of Los Angles and Quincy. Brother of Marcia McCarthy and her husband, James Galvin of Quincy, Doris Seroll and her husband, Bill of Scituate, and the late Kevin Mitchell and Brian Mitchell. Brother-in-law of Kathleen Mitchell Gill of Quincy. Loving “Papa Billy “of LeeAnne and Kaarlo Maki , Kevin Mitchell, Colleen and John Ballerino, John McCarthy and Leah Janus , Kim and Pete Luizzi, Scott and Vanessa Seroll Lauren Seroll, and Amanda Mitchell. Lifelong friend of Thomas and Kathleen Kiley and their family, and cherished friend of many others. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the visiting hours on Friday 3-8 PM in the Keohane Funeral Home, 785 Hancock St., Quincy A Celebration of Life Service will be held in the funeral home on Saturday at 9 a.m. prior to the Funeral Mass in St. Ann’s Church, 757 Hancock Street, Quincy at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Blue Hill Cemetery, Braintree. In lieu of flowers Donations to the Massachusetts General Hospital in memory of William A. Mitchell, Development Office, 165 Cambridge St., Suite 600, Boston, MA 02114 to support research for pancreatic cancer and the care of patients suffering from the disease.