Mary Lu Mitchell at the United Nations circa 1963

Celebrating Women's History Month 

by remembering the woman who made our co-founder who she is today 

Behind Every Strong Woman...is Another Strong Woman!

That's certainly the case for our co-founder Catherine Mitchell Jaxon. Her mom, Mary Lu Mitchell, had a trailblazing career in a time when that wasn't typical for women. Her confidence and drive inspired many other women, especially her daughter and granddaughters, and earned her the nickname "General Patton in an Armani suit." Mary Lu (aka Mimi) left the charming, small town of Madisonville, Kentucky for Duke University where she became President of her Senior Class.

From there her career would take her to Harvard in Boston, (where she met her husband of 58 years), The United Nations in New York, where she traveled as the only woman on a fact finding mission to the Middle East, and ultimately to Atlanta, where she worked as a researcher for the New York Times and the Public Information Director for the anti-poverty program, Economic Opportunity Atlanta. For her anti-poverty work, Mary Lu was named Atlanta Woman of the Year. She was also an active volunteer and leader for library organizations, as well as in Atlanta politics, serving as the Co-Chair for Women on mayoral campaigns.

She embodied the quote, "You can always tell who the strong women are. They're the ones building other women up, instead of tearing them down."  She did all of this while being a loving and present wife, mother and grandmother, which was her most cherished role of all. Mary Lu passed away after a battle with cancer on February 8, 2024. She leaves behind a powerful legacy in her children and grandchildren, who she raised to be strong men and strong women, just like her.

Photos below:  Mary Lu Mitchell traveling with the United Nations on a fact finding mission to the Middle East circa 1964