|
Fred Mitchell "Mitch" Cervinka, 69, went to be with the Lord on Sept. 23, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. He was born on November 1, 1951, to his parents, Fred and Mary (Riggs) Cervinka in Columbia, Missouri. He enjoyed his childhood in the rural outskirts of Columbia, participating in 4-H activities, and taking many road trips with his family across the country, often visiting family. He accompanied his father to New York City when his dad appeared on the TV show “To Tell The Truth” along with panelist, Clarence Nash, the voice of Donald Duck. He helped his parents with their poultry hatchery business, but was always fascinated by electronics. He graduated from David H. Hickman High school in 1969 and received the Bausch & Lomb Award for excellence in three sciences: Physics, Chemistry and Geology. In 1968 Mitch became a follower of his Lord Jesus Christ.
After one year at the University of Missouri, Columbia (UMC) Mitch then joined the US Marine Corps with his friend, Adrian (Schmiedt) Adams. He served as a communications technician in Guam and Okinawa. Then he returned to UMC and completed undergraduate work in Electrical Engineering, a B.S. Degree in Education, and then an M.A. Degree in Mathematics (1980). Upon graduation, he taught high school math in Jamestown, Missouri for one year. In 1981 he found a better paying computer job at Paragon Pacific and moved to El Segundo, California. In 1982 he was one of the first directors and teachers of BASIC programming for Intergate, Inc. in Newbury Park. In 1983 he worked for Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Co. in Burbank as a Scientific Computer Applications Analyst, Sr., in their top secret "Skunk Works" on the first operational aircraft designed for stealth technology, the F-117 "Nighthawk." In 1988 he moved to Wichita, Kansas to work for Boeing Military Airplanes. In 1990, he worked for Martin Marietta Astronautics in Denver, Colorado. In 1992 he moved to Overland Park, Kansas to work thereafter for Black and Veatch, an engineering firm, as Sr. Software Programmer/Analyst. He retired in February, 2019. He then volunteered as an on-line missionary for Global Media Outreach, where he shared the gospel with people from all over the world in his last 2 ½ years.
During the time he was working at Lockheed in Burbank and teaching adult Sunday school in Simi Valley, California, mutual friends introduced him to Darlene Sheetz. It was a “match made in heaven” and the two were married in 1986. In 1990 they welcomed their daughter April Marie. Their family was actively involved in their church, and he served as a teaching elder at two churches. As a home school dad, Mitch enjoyed teaching April math, science, theology, piano and music theory. His family loved taking road trips to National Parks from Yosemite across the states to Acadia, Maine. In 2012 April married Peter Bridgwood from Massachusetts. God blessed Mitch and Darlene with two grandchildren; Autumn (5) and Asher (2), and Mitch was always eager to drive across country to visit family. They often included trips with Mitch’s parents, and after his father passed away in 2012, Mitch was diligent to visit and travel with his mother, who is still living in Columbia. Some of Mitch's interests included developing his own website for Christian articles, developing a scientific calculator, writing hymns, listening to classical music, hiking, reading, and enjoying Darlene's cooking.
Mitch is survived by his wife, Darlene Cervinka; daughter, April Bridgwood (husband Peter); grandchildren, Autumn and Asher Bridgwood; mother, Mary Cervinka; sister, Carolyn Richardson (David); nephew, Erik Blessman (Erin and family); niece, Christy Short (Matt and family); aunt, Irma Hunsinger, and eight cousins. He is also survived by the many beautiful members of his spiritual family.
He will be warmly remembered and missed by all. Services were held October 1, 2021 at New Hope Presbyterian Church, Olathe, KS. Graveside: Missouri State Veterans Cemetery, Higginsville, MO www: AtkinsonFuneralHome.com for picture slideshow
Mitch's website: A 21st Century Puritanism found at: members.toast.net/puritan
|