David Mitchell Lyle

David Mitchell Lyle, 92, a lifelong resident of Cleveland, passed away Wednesday, September 5, 2018.  He was born on March 1, 1926 and was a 1944 graduate of Bradley High School.  In recent years he resided at the Garden Plaza and Life Care of Cleveland.  Mitchell was the son of Roy Alexander Lyle (1895-1942) and Beulah Hayes Lyle (1896-1982).

After early high school graduation Mitchell enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 17 on January 14, 1944.  He received his initial training at the Great Lakes Naval Station and the University of Chicago.  During 1944 he was assigned as a radioman aboard the Escort Carrier, USS Wake Island (CVE65) and he served on the ship until the end of World War II.  During his service on the Wake Island the ship was involved in combat and support operations during key battles in the Pacific theater:  the battle to retake the island of Luzon in the Philippines and the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.  While operating near Okinawa in April 1945 the Wake Island was twice attacked by Japanese kamikaze planes, incurring damage from one strike.  For his service in the U.S. Navy, Mitchell received the World War II Victory Medal, Defense Service Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, Navy Unit Commendation Medal and the Philippines Liberation Ribbon with one battle star and the Philippines Presidential Unit Citation.  He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy as a Radioman Third Class on January 9, 1946.

From 1946 until his retirement in 1988 he was employed by the Southern Railway in Cleveland.  Mitchell began as a telegraph operator and ticket agent and by the time of his retirement he was the company’s agent in Cleveland.

Prior to his retirement from the railroad and for several years afterwards, Mitchell served in various capacities with the Cleveland city government.  He was first elected in 1981 as the Cleveland Commissioner of Police, Lights and Prisons and after a change in the city government’s form he went on to serve on the City Council as the representative of the Fifth District and as Vice Mayor, retiring from elective positions in 1996.  He was a member of the Cleveland Police Advisory Board and at one time served as a volunteer fireman.  In addition to his service on the Cleveland City Council, Mitchell also served on the board of Trustees of Bradley Memorial Hospital and other civic committees.  He was vice chair of the Cleveland Board of Public Utilities, a member of the Bradley County Old Timers Sports Hall of Fame and a member of the Bradley County Republican Party.

Mitchell was a long-time member of the First Baptist Church of Cleveland where he served as a deacon, sang in the choir and held positions in various Sunday School and other training departments.  He also held membership in organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), American Legion and the Masonic Lodge #134 in Cleveland.  He was also a member of the Fraternal Order of Police Scenic Lodge #8 and was an honorary life member of Cleveland 100.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, the former Sarah Elizabeth (Betty) Ramsey, whom he married at the First Baptist Church on August 22, 1946. 

Survivors include his sons, James D. Lyle (Kathy) of Centreville, VA and Steven A. “Tony” Lyle of Dublin, Ohio; grandchildren: David R. Lyle (Joy) of Clifton, VA, Sarah Kathleen Lyle of Centreville, VA and James Mitchell Lyle (Sonja) of Nashville.

The funeral will be conducted at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 9, 2018 in the chapel of Fike-Randolph & Son Funeral Home with the Reverend Jim Gibson, the Reverend Tom Wickes, Esmeralda Lee and Mayor Tom Rowland officiating.  Interment will follow in Hilcrest Memorial Gardens with David Dailey, Brian Smith, Wayne Richardson, Arnold Botts, Wes Snyder, Tim Gobble, Dan Gilley and Dr. Jerry DeVane serving as pallbearers.  Honorary pallbearers will be all emergency service, Cleveland Police Departments and city employees.

His family will receive friends from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home prior to the service.

We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Lyle family guestbook at www.fikefh.com.