Mitchell, Marjorie (1948-83)

Marj Mitchell.

Regina Leader-Post

Born on August 27, 1948, in Oxbow, Marjorie Mitchell skipped the Canadian women's curling team to its first Ladies' World Curling Championship in 1980. The Mitchell rink included Nancy Kerr, Shirley McKendry, and Wendy Leach from the Caledonian Curling Club in Regina. Having won the Saskatchewan play downs, the foursome went on to capture the Canadian title and later represented Canada in the world championship in Perth, Scotland. The Mitchell rink was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. Mitchell served as chairperson of the first Scott Tournament of Hearts held in Regina in 1983. Shortly after the event she learned she had cancer, and died on October 18, 1983. The Marj Mitchell Award, established in 1998, is presented each year to the curler who best embodies the spirit of the game at the Scott Tournament of Hearts. The Marj Mitchell Foundation was also created in her honour to promote curling at the junior high and high school levels.

Bob Ivanochko, Holden Stoffel