Thomas Joel Mitchell jr.'s Obituary
Thomas (Tom) Mitchell, 75, of Ashburn, Virginia, passed away on February 11, 2023, surrounded by his family after a long, courageous health battle. He was born in Takoma Park, Maryland to Thomas and Jean (Henry) Mitchell on December 28, 1947. He grew up with his two sisters and brother. They moved around often to serve his father’s Methodist Church parishes in Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia, and Virginia. In 1963, the family settled down in Berryville, Virginia. He attended Berryville High School, Class of 1966, where he developed an appreciation for learning.
He attended William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia and graduated in 1970 with a degree in Business and Economics. Tom worked many jobs while attending school to pay his way through college. It was at one on those jobs as a bus driver in Colonial Williamsburg that he met the love of his life of 50+ years, Terry Conrad Mitchell. When he was there, he also met many lifelong friends.
At a very young age, Tom developed an entrepreneurial spirit. Throughout his career he worked with several international companies as well as his own start-ups several times over. In 1997 he founded GEOBRIDGE Corporation, a systems integrator of payment security solutions. Tom guided the company through successive years of financial growth, expansion, and subject matter expertise balanced with an unwavering commitment to customers. GEOBRIDGE was acquired in 2019 by a global HSM provider. He not only sought to achieve success for himself and the employees, but as he built this company with the help of his daughter (Laura) and her husband (Jason), he measured success by creating a company culture that gave back to the communities and organizations that were important to him and GEOBRIDGE’s employees. A few organizations that benefited from Tom’s generosity included Wounded Warriors, Partnership for Clean Water and Education, Loudoun Education Foundation, MS Foundation, Alzheimer’s Association, St. Judes and The Clarke County Education Foundation.
After graduating from college, he and Terry dove into raising their young growing family. They lived in Reston, Herndon and Great Falls, VA for many years. Tom loved to travel and see the world for work and pleasure. He persevered through challenging times and took hold of the beautiful times. Over the years he and Terry made memories in Italy, Scotland, and Hong Kong to name a few highlights. After becoming empty nesters, they moved out to a farm they named Serendipity in Delaplane, Virginia. Serendipity was their home but more important, to them it was about having dreams and making your dreams come true. There they fulfilled their lifelong dream to be out in the country taking care of the horses, mowing and sharing their love of nature with their family and in particular with their young grandchildren.
He was a devoted Husband, Father and Papa who enjoyed going to the Outer Banks, NC with his family. Every year for almost 50 years the family would gather for a week in the summer to surf the waves, laugh, and make memories. A tradition Tom and Terry began, one that will continue for many generations to come.
Tom took on new opportunities and lived his life with optimism, perseverance, honesty, and integrity. He had very strong values and was well liked by everyone, mostly due to his positive energy. Tom had incredible patience, a great sense of humor and always made time to help others. His legacy will carry on forever reminding us that we control our attitudes and our actions. He would encourage each of us to do our best, follow our passion(s) and to live a life of meaningful acts of love and service.
Tom’s light and love will live on through his wife, Terry; children, Janine (Mark) Bourscheid of Leesburg, VA, Amy (Garrett) Lowell of Berryville, VA, Laura (Jason) Way of Ashburn, VA and Tom (Jeff) Mitchell of Austin, TX; 11 grandchildren: Jessica Iannello (Michael) and AJ Bourscheid, Anna and Cooper Lowell; Brandon, Jack and Lilli Way; Andrew, Zachary and Savannah Mitchell, and great grandchildren; two sisters and brother: Carol Whitacre, Joanne Mitchell, and Cary Mitchell; close relatives and dear friends.
Tom, Dad, Papa – we appreciated your love, your every kindness, your tenderness, your strength, your caring, every laugh and every tear drop shared.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, April 29th at Salamander Middleburg Resort
500 North Pendleton Street Middleburg, VA 20177 From 1:00-3:30. Lunch will be served.
Please RSVP to Laura, [email protected] or 571.216.4400. We hope you can join us for lunch and in sharing the special memories we had with Tom.
What’s your fondest memory of Thomas?
What’s a lesson you learned from Thomas?
Share a story where Thomas' kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Thomas you’ll never forget.
How did Thomas make you smile?