William A. Mitchell helped create the Northwest Chargers ice hockey youth organization when he was a Park District commissioner in Rolling Meadows about 20 years ago. “He wasn’t much of a coach, but he wanted to put together an organization to provide stability for kids,” said his son, Gary. Elected to the Rolling Meadows Park District Board in the late 1970s, Mr. Mitchell helped merge the Rolling Meadows Warriors with the Palatine Norsemen, rivals fighting for the same ice time at a local rink, his son said. Mr. Mitchell, 61, died of cancer Monday, March 1, in his Lake in the Hills home. Born in Chicago, he had a difficult childhood, with his father taking him from his mother and traveling with him around the country. He was reunited with his mother in Chicago when he was 21. In the late 1960s, he married his first wife, Joyce, started a family and moved to Rolling Meadows. He worked as an auto mechanic and became a service manager, employed by independent Ford dealerships across the suburbs. After divorcing in the mid-1970s, he met his wife, Teresa, at a social function and married 16 years ago. He was employed by Conlon-Collins Ford Jeep in Crystal Lake when illness forced him to scale back his work more than a year ago. In addition to his wife and son, survivors include a daughter, Cheri Raupp. Visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, followed by services, in Willow Funeral Home, 1415 W. Algonquin Rd., Algonquin.
