Rex Gilbert Mitchell, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, teacher, attorney, executive, and lifelong learner, passed away peacefully at home on July 10, 2026, following a courageous 15-month battle with urothelial cancer. He was 72 years old.

Rex was born on November 18, 1953, in Boise, Idaho, to Duane L. Mitchell and Delma Gilbert Mitchell. He was the second of four children, joining his older sister Roxane Suzan and later welcoming another sister, Sally Jo, and a brother Kasey, into the family. He grew up in a close-knit family that he treasured throughout his life.

When Rex was six years old, the family moved to Idaho Falls, where he attended school and graduated from Bonneville High School in 1972. From an early age, his extraordinary intellect and endless curiosity set him apart. A gifted math and science student, he excelled academically and was known for taking apart nearly anything he could get his hands on in an effort to understand how it worked. His love of learning also led him to co-found Bonneville High School’s debate program with his close friends Bruce Lemons and Bart Brizzee, developing skills that would serve him throughout his career.

After high school, Rex married Pamela Kay Storer, and the couple moved to Provo, Utah, where he attended Brigham Young University. While raising a growing family and operating a successful cultured marble installation business, Rex completed his bachelor’s degree in Statistics in only three years with outstanding academic achievement. He then attended Brigham Young University Law School, where he served on the law review and graduated in 1978.

Rex began his legal career with the Los Angeles law firm of Smith and Hilbig before joining Pacific Bell. His work eventually took his family to the San Francisco Bay Area and Reno, Nevada, where he served as Nevada Bell’s General Counsel. During this time, he earned a Master of Science in Management through Stanford University’s prestigious Sloan Program, an experience he often described as one of the greatest opportunities of his life.

As the telecommunications industry underwent dramatic transformation, Rex moved into executive leadership, becoming widely respected for his expertise. He testified before the Federal Communications Commission, contributed to the development of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and later became one of Wall Street’s most highly regarded telecommunications analysts. His work earned him The Wall Street Journal’s “Best on the Street” recognition for Telecommunications.

Despite his professional accomplishments, Rex was never defined solely by his career. He was happiest when learning something new, tackling a construction project, traveling, or spending time with family. He remodeled every home he ever owned, often taking on projects that most people would consider impossible. If something needed to be built or repaired, Rex simply taught himself how to do it.

He possessed an infectious enthusiasm for life that inspired everyone around him. Whether organizing impromptu pie-eating contests, launching homemade bottle rockets with his grandchildren, planning unforgettable surprises, or enthusiastically sampling unusual foods while traveling abroad, Rex approached life with joy, humor, and boundless curiosity. He loved exploring the world and especially cherished traveling with his wife, LeeAnn, as well as with his sisters and their husbands.

One of Rex’s greatest joys was education. Later in life, after retiring from the corporate world, he fulfilled a longtime dream by teaching high school. Although his students may not always have shared his enthusiasm, he loved teaching and never stopped sharing what he learned with others.

Rex was a devoted father who encouraged his children to dream boldly and pursue new opportunities. Rather than discouraging ambitious ideas, he delighted in helping make them possible. He believed deeply in education, thoughtful decision-making, and supporting those he loved in becoming their best selves.

Rex and Pamela divorced in 2004. In 2007, Rex married LeeAnn Johnson in Ashland, Oregon. Together they built a wonderful life centered on family, travel, learning, and friendship. After retiring in 2014, they divided their time between homes in Portland, Oregon, and Phoenix, Arizona, allowing them to remain close to family and to enjoy watching their grandchildren grow.

Perhaps his greatest delight came from being a grandfather. He treasured attending school plays, sporting events, and performances, helping with homework, and sharing his endless enthusiasm for science, learning, and discovery with his 20 grandchildren.

In April 2025, Rex was diagnosed with stage IV urothelial cancer. Throughout his illness, he faced every challenge with remarkable optimism and grace. Thanks to exceptional medical care, he was able to enjoy fifteen meaningful months with family and friends, including a memorable trip to Norway with his sisters and brothers-in-law.

During what would become his final Thanksgiving surrounded by family, Rex offered words that perfectly reflected the life he had lived. He asked his loved ones not to feel sorry for him because he believed he had been blessed with an extraordinarily good life. He had loved deeply, remained endlessly curious, learned constantly, traveled widely, built lifelong friendships, and treasured every moment spent with those he loved.

Rex is survived by his beloved wife, LeeAnn Mitchell; his children, Jared Rex Mitchell, Nathan Gilbert Mitchell, Jami Kay Parsons (Mark), Tara Lee Crawford (John), and Justin Scott Mitchell (Yuan); his stepchildren, Erika Arden Boles (Jason) and Derek Kelle Johnson (Monica); his 20 beloved grandchildren; his sisters, Roxane Suzan Pfister (Jim), Sally Jo Baldwin (Dale), and Kasey Duane Mitchell (Sarah); and many extended family members and dear friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Duane L. Mitchell and Delma Gilbert Mitchell.

Rex will be remembered for his brilliant mind, unmistakable laugh, generous heart, unwavering optimism, and extraordinary ability to make everyone around him excited about learning and living. His legacy lives on in the countless lives he influenced, the family he loved so completely, and the enduring example he set of embracing life with curiosity, kindness, and enthusiasm.

A viewing and memorial service will be held on 25 of July, at 8 am, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 22424 S Meridian Road, Queen Creek, AZ.  Interment will follow at San Tan Memorial Gardens at 23425 E Cloud, Queen Creek, AZ.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations to MD Anderson Cancer Research in Rex’s memory. Those who wish to honor his life are also encouraged to celebrate his legacy by embracing learning, showing kindness to others, and making time for the people they love.