Mitchell,
Robin Lynn - Class of 1990 - Bill Norvell 65
Mitchell, Robin Lynn who passed away on Saturday, August 14, 2004, will be
remembered by many people for many reasons. A dedicated daughter, she was
an accomplished physician, military officer, athlete and sports
enthusiast. Her skills as a doctor were matched only by her enthusiasm for
life and her love for her family and friends. Born February 14, 1973, in
New York, N.Y., Robin grew up in Newburgh, N.Y., where she developed into
both a spelling bee champion and a diehard New York Yankees fan. As a
seventh-grader, she earned a varsity letter as a member of the Newburgh
Free Academy varsity track team. She eventually became captain of the
school's track and cross-country teams, earning numerous honors. She was
valedictorian of Newburgh Free Academy's class of 1990. Robin attended
Harvard University on a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship,
graduating in 1994 with a bachelor of arts degree in chemistry. She
graduated from Cornell University Medical College in 1998 and served an
internship at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego in general surgery.
She was a resident in neurological surgery at the Ohio State University
Medical Center until January of 2003 when she came to the University of
Arkansas for Medical Sciences as a resident with the Department of
Neurosurgery. Topping her education and career, Robin was recently named
chief resident for the UAMS Department of Neurosurgery, no small feat for
someone active in so many areas. A member of the American Association of
Neurological Surgeons, she was also a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S.
Naval Reserve. She received a Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, a Fleet
Marine Force Ribbon, two National Defense Service medals, a Sea Service
eployment ribbon and was awarded a Navy Pistol Ribbon as an expert
marksman. She served as a general medical officer with the 3rd Force
Service Support Group, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, stationed in
Okinawa, Japan, from July 1999 to June 2000. She also served with the
Combat Service Support Detachment 34 during Exercise "Cobra Gold" in
Samsut Song, Thailand, from February to May 2000. Robin's father, Wilmot
Mitchell, died in 1993. Robin is survived by her mother, Eva Mitchell of
Little Rock; her brother, David Mitchell of Brooklyn, Conn.; her
sister-in-law, Edilma Mitchell; her grandmother, Evangeline Giusti of
Rincon, Puerto Rico; her cousins, Jason Carman of New York, Dr. Elise
Carman of West Patterson, N.J., Robin Kelly of Matteson, Ill., Glenn Kelly
of New York, Christopher Carman of Long Island, N.Y.; her uncle, Raymond
Crespo of New York; her aunts, Cynthia Kelly of New York, Carole Carman of
Fort Lee, N.J., Gloria Mitchell of New York, Doris Crespo of New York and
Brunilda Crespo, Carmen Garcia and Nelly Rodriguez, all of Rincon, Puerto
Rico; and all of her family in the UAMS Department of Neurosurgery. She
will be greatly missed by her friends at UAMS, the Central Arkansas
Veterans Healthcare System and Arkansas Children's Hospital, where she
served admirably and touched the lives of so many. She came to be a
beloved member of the Department of Neurosurgery family in a very short
period of time. She was described by Dr. Ossama Al-Mefty, chairman of the
department, as "a stellar student, an excellent surgeon, hard working,
motivated and one who cared about her patients, cared about her work and
dutiesżher spirit and dedication conquered all challenges. She had climbed
the mountain and was inches from the peak." Memorial services will be held
at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 20, 2004, in the chapel of Ruebel Funeral
Home, 6313 West Markham St. In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to make
a donation to the Dr. Robin L. Mitchell Memorial Fund at Regions Bank,
4224 W. Markham, Little Rock, 72205
Robin Lynn Mitchell....... Police said medical student Robert Howard, a
former Olympic track star, killed his wife, Dr. Robin L. Mitchell, and
jumped to his death from the 10th floor of a dormitory. The neurosurgery
community suffered a sudden, tragic, and senseless loss on August 14,
2004. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) neurosurgery
chief resident, Robin Lynn Mitchell, was murdered in her home, the
apparent victim of domestic violence. Her body was found after her
husband, Robert Howard, a third year medical student and former Olympic
athlete, committed suicide by jumping through a 10th fl oor medical school
building window. Police found Robin while attempting to notify her
husband’s next-of-kin. She had apparently died of multiple stab wounds.
Dr. Mitchell will be remembered by many. She was a loving and dedicated
daughter, a scholar, an accomplished physician, a military offi cer, an
athlete and an avid sports enthusiast. An intelligent, ambitious and
dedicated young woman, she successfully overcame many personal and fi
nancial obstacles in order to become a neurosurgeon and was only ten
months shy of her goal when her life was unexpectedly taken. Born Feb. 14,
1973, in New York, N.Y., Robin grew up in Newburgh, N.Y., where she
developed into both a spelling bee champion and a diehard New York Yankees
fan. As a seventh grader, she earned a varsity letter as a member of the
Newburgh Free Academy varsity track team. She eventually became captain of
the school’s track and cross country teams, earning numerous honors. She
was valedictorian of Newburgh Free Academy’s class of 1990. Robin attended
Harvard University in Cambridge, MA on a Naval Reserve Officer Training
Corps scholarship, graduating in 1994 with a bachelor of arts degree in
chemistry. Robin lost her father, Wilmot Mitchell, in 1993 while she was
an undergraduate. She was accepted at Cornell University Medical College
in New York City, again on full scholarship, as part of the Health
Professions Scholarship Program with the U.S. Navy, graduating in 1998.
Commissioned a Lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Dr. Mitchell
performed her General Surgery Internship form 1998-99 at Naval Medical
Center Sand Diego. She then served as a general medical offi cer with the
3rd Force Service Support Group, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, stationed
in Okinawa, Japan, from July 1999 to June 2000. She also served with the
Combat Service Support Detachment 34 during Exercise "Cobra Gold" in
Samsut Song, Thailand, from February to May 2000. During her time on
active duty, she received a Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, a Fleet
Marine Force Ribbon, two National Defense Service medals, a Sea Service
Deployment ribbon and was awarded a Navy Pistol Ribbon as an expert
marksman. She was promoted to Lieutenant Commander, the rank that she held
at the time of her death. In July 2000, she began her neurosurgery
residency training as a PGY II – level house offi cer at Ohio State
University Medical Center. Being accepted into neurosurgery residency is
diffi cult enough for those on a standard professional track. Dr. Mitchell
was successful in her efforts despite being stationed overseas in Okinawa,
managing a full attending physician clinical load for the U.S. Marines,
and being on an unconventional career track. She remained at Ohio State
through December 2002, transferring to UAMS to complete her residency
training in January 2003. She began her Chief Resident year at UAMS July
2004. Those who knew Robin are deeply saddened by her loss, but we are
deeply troubled and angered as well. Dr. Mitchell’s untimely murder is a
reminder to all of us that, as neurosurgeons, we are not immune or
insulated from social injustice and criminal assault. Domestic violence is
a major social problem. Head and spine injuries in a domestic setting are
obvious signs. As responsible and conscientious physicians, we need to
heighten our awareness of the problem in order to identify the earlier and
more subtle warning signs and symptoms in our victimized patients.
However, these are not just issues for our patients. Neurosurgeons can be
victimized as well. Dr. Mitchell’s fate is a reminder to us all. It should
serve as a call to action to increase our awareness and attention to this
issue as a specialty - at our meetings, through our organizations, through
our publications, and through our community programs. Would you be able to
recognize the warning signs of domestic violence in your colleagues? Robin
Mitchell was an intelligent, ambitious, dedicated, focused and
hard-working young woman. Neither the tragic loss of her father at an
early age, nor financial disadvantage could keep her back. She had the
independence, courage and self-confi dence to identify opportunities and
to strike out on her own, without outside assistance, to achieve her
goals. Her road was unique. She did not have the benefi t of an accepted
path to her goals or a predecessor to blaze the trail for her, yet she
never despaired or wavered from her vision. She was an inspiration to
those who new her, especially young women aspiring to fulfi ll their own
dreams against a fi nancial or social tide. Her path often led to solitary
periods, away from the support of family and friends, and far from home.
Yet she was not self centered, or self absorbed. She had a keen sense of
responsibility and of duty, and an intense love of family. Since leaving
medical school, Robin had always assisted in supporting her mother. When
she moved to Little Rock, AR, one of her fi rst steps was to move her
mother into a house next door. Her loss, just shy of joining our ranks as
a full member, is a tragedy. We are all diminished. Robin Mitchell will be
missed by her family and friends, her classmates at Harvard and Cornell,
as well as her colleagues in the U.S Navy, the U.S. Marines, the Ohio
State University Medical Center, and UAMS. It is unfortunate that the rest
of our neurosurgical community had not yet had the chance to know and
interact with her. She is survived by her mother, Eva Mitchell of Little
Rock; her brother, David Mitchell of Brooklyn, Conn.; her sister-in-law,
Edilma Mitchell; her grandmother, Evangeline Giusti of Rincon, Puerto
Rico; her cousins, Jason Carman of New York, Dr. Elise Carman of West
Patterson, N.J., Robin Kelly of Matteson, Ill., Glenn Kelly of New York,
Christopher Carman of Long Island, N.Y.; her uncle, Raymond Crespo of New
York; her aunts, Cynthia Kelly of New York, Carole Carman of Fort Lee,
N.J., Gloria Mitchell of New York, Doris Crespo of New York and Brunilda
Crespo, Carmen Garcia and Nelly Rodriguez, all of Rincon, Puerto Rico.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Dr. Robin L. Mitchell Memorial
Fund at Regions Bank, 4224 W. Markham, Little Rock, 72205.
Mitchell, Robin Lynn who passed away on Saturday, August 14, 2004, will be
remembered by many people for many reasons. A dedicated daughter, she was
an accomplished physician, military officer, athlete and sports
enthusiast. Her skills as a doctor were matched only by her enthusiasm for
life and her love for her family and friends. Born February 14, 1973, in
New York, N.Y., Robin grew up in Newburgh, N.Y., where she developed into
both a spelling bee champion and a diehard New York Yankees fan. As a
seventh-grader, she earned a varsity letter as a member of the Newburgh
Free Academy varsity track team. She eventually became captain of the
school's track and cross-country teams, earning numerous honors. She was
valedictorian of Newburgh Free Academy's class of 1990. Robin attended
Harvard University on a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship,
graduating in 1994 with a bachelor of arts degree in chemistry. She
graduated from Cornell University Medical College in 1998 and served an
internship at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego in general surgery.
She was a resident in neurological surgery at the Ohio State University
Medical Center until January of 2003 when she came to the University of
Arkansas for Medical Sciences as a resident with the Department of
Neurosurgery. Topping her education and career, Robin was recently named
chief resident for the UAMS Department of Neurosurgery, no small feat for
someone active in so many areas. A member of the American Association of
Neurological Surgeons, she was also a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S.
Naval Reserve. She received a Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, a Fleet
Marine Force Ribbon, two National Defense Service medals, a Sea Service
eployment ribbon and was awarded a Navy Pistol Ribbon as an expert
marksman. She served as a general medical officer with the 3rd Force
Service Support Group, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, stationed in
Okinawa, Japan, from July 1999 to June 2000. She also served with the
Combat Service Support Detachment 34 during Exercise "Cobra Gold" in
Samsut Song, Thailand, from February to May 2000. Robin's father, Wilmot
Mitchell, died in 1993. Robin is survived by her mother, Eva Mitchell of
Little Rock; her brother, David Mitchell of Brooklyn, Conn.; her
sister-in-law, Edilma Mitchell; her grandmother, Evangeline Giusti of
Rincon, Puerto Rico; her cousins, Jason Carman of New York, Dr. Elise
Carman of West Patterson, N.J., Robin Kelly of Matteson, Ill., Glenn Kelly
of New York, Christopher Carman of Long Island, N.Y.; her uncle, Raymond
Crespo of New York; her aunts, Cynthia Kelly of New York, Carole Carman of
Fort Lee, N.J., Gloria Mitchell of New York, Doris Crespo of New York and
Brunilda Crespo, Carmen Garcia and Nelly Rodriguez, all of Rincon, Puerto
Rico; and all of her family in the UAMS Department of Neurosurgery. She
will be greatly missed by her friends at UAMS, the Central Arkansas
Veterans Healthcare System and Arkansas Children's Hospital, where she
served admirably and touched the lives of so many. She came to be a
beloved member of the Department of Neurosurgery family in a very short
period of time. She was described by Dr. Ossama Al-Mefty, chairman of the
department, as "a stellar student, an excellent surgeon, hard working,
motivated and one who cared about her patients, cared about her work and
dutiesżher spirit and dedication conquered all challenges. She had climbed
the mountain and was inches from the peak." Memorial services will be held
at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 20, 2004, in the chapel of Ruebel Funeral
Home, 6313 West Markham St. In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to make
a donation to the Dr. Robin L. Mitchell Memorial Fund at Regions Bank,
4224 W. Markham, Little Rock, 72205
