In her estate, Wanda B. Mitchell made a gift to the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation to establish the Wanda B. Mitchell Charitable Fund. This fund is dedicated to enhancing our community by awarding grants to vital local causes and programs. Wanda's generosity will have a lasting positive impact on our community, embodying her caring spirit and commitment to making a difference.

Wanda B. Mitchell, who passed away on September 29, 2008, at the age of 97, lived an exceptional life. Born in St. Marys, West Virginia, she was the daughter of Elizabeth and Rev. Benjamin Mitchell. A distinguished educator, she graduated from West Virginia University in 1932 and earned her MA from Northwestern University in 1939. Her teaching career, which spanned four decades including six years at Parkersburg High School, was marked by her significant contributions to education. Ms. Mitchell authored the textbook “Televising Your Message” and co-authored “Stories We Can’t Forget (More Than A Memoir By Two W.Va. Sisters With A Zest For Living).” She was also featured in the film “And No Bells Ring,” produced by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and was appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower to serve as the only woman on the National Defense Education Act Advisory Board from 1959 to 1961. 

Through the Wanda B. Mitchell Charitable Fund, her legacy of compassion and dedication continues to enrich our community.