Former Maryland House Speaker Roy Clayton Mitchell Jr. died yesterday evening around 7:00 p.m., according to a statement released by Mitchell’s family.
He was 83.
Mitchell, a Democrat, was a lifelong Kent County resident, born in Chestertown in 1936.
He was first elected in 1966 to the Kent County Commissioners. Later in 1970, he won a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing District 36.
In 1974, Mitchell became the chairman of the Eastern Shore delegation. He later took over the House Appropriations Committee.
Mitchell was elected by his House colleagues in 1987 to serve as Speaker upon then-Speaker of the House Benjamin L. Cardin’s election to the U.S. House of Representatives.
He held the Speaker’s gavel until his retirement in 1992.
Since retiring from the House of Delegates, Mitchell chaired both the Save our Skipjacks Task Force and the Maryland Commission for Celebration 2000. He also served as the Director of the Second National Bank of Maryland and a member of the Board of Visitors and Governors of Washington College.
Last May, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) dedicated the U.S. Route 50 bridge over Kenty Island to Mitchell.
Mitchell’s family is finalizing the details of his funeral service and burial.
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