Raymond Lawrence Mitchell son of the late Herman and Arvilla Mitchell was born in Mobile, Alabama on January 1, 1933. At the age of three he and his parents left Mobile, Alabama and moved to Baltimore, MD. The couple had three more children, Rebecca(who preceded him in death), Herman, and Jeanie. Raymond was educated in Baltimore city Catholic school.

On March 2, 1953 at the age of twenty, Raymond was drafted into the United States Army, during the Cold War where he would serve until March 1, 1955. He was released from the Army with an honorable discharge. Raymond married the late Margaret Mitchell and from this union was born eight children, Cynthia, Teresa, Venessa, Raymond Jr, Faith, Arvilla, Paul and Mary. Raymond also has one other son, whose name is Darryl. Raymond was a man who believed that a man should work to financially support his family. So he took jobs where he could. He worked first as a longshoreman and then an MTA employee until 1968 when he became

Port Authority. It was not long after he was hired, that Ray became a supervisor at Maryland Port in the early 1970s. He worked at the Port for over twenty years.

On November 1, 1980, Raymond married Joan Cheatham, who had seven children of her own and they are Darlene, Pam, Mike, Michele, Donald, Debbie, and Craig. Raymond loved life and loved people. He had many friends, he loved to laugh and to tease. Raymond also most definitely loved to cook and he loved to feed people. He leaves to cherish his memory and to mourn his passing, his wife of 40 years Joan, nine children, Cynthia, Teresa, Venessa, Raymond Jr, Faith, Arvilla, Paul, Mary and Darryl, seven step children, Darlene, Pam, Mike, Michele, Donald, Debbie, and Craig. One brother, Herman and one sister Jeanie, and a host of in laws, grands, great grands, great-great grands, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.