Biography: H. Maurice Mitchell, age 85, of Little Rock, died on Saturday, April 2, 2011. Mauricewas born in Clarendon, AR on October 23, 1925, to the late Floyd and Nancye Jane LittletonMitchell. He is survived by his wife, Martha Elizabeth (Betty) Stockley Mitchell of Little Rock; two sons,H. Maurice (Maury) Mitchell, Jr. and wife Lindy, and David Stockley Mitchell and wife Peggy,and a daughter, Nancy Elizabeth Mitchell, all of Little Rock; grandchildren H. Maurice Mitchell,III, Hamilton Mitchell, Nancy Mitchell, David Mitchell, Jr., Meredith Mitchell, Will Mitchell,Stockley Davis, Maggie Davis and Mary Maude Davis; a son-in-law, Dr. Brett Davis of Owensboro, KY; and is predeceased by a daughter, Mary Margaret Mitchell Davis. He is also survived by his devoted friend and co-worker of 51 years, Leah Caradine. Maurice was a member of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, and was past chairperson of Trustees and Administrative Board, director of Pulaski Heights UMC Foundation, and director and past president of United Methodist Foundation of Arkansas. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the Law School at Washington and Lee University in 1948, and quickly began his long and distinguished professional career. He first served as an agent of the Internal Revenue Service (1948-49), and then joined the Arkansas State Revenue Departmentas Assistant Attorney (1949-1951). He was admitted to the state bar in 1949 and entered the private practice of law in Little Rock in 1951. On January 1, 1954, he became a member of thelaw firm now known as Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, PLLC. As a graduate of the Little Rock school system, Maurice had an intense personal interest in the polarizing 1957 desegregation crisis at Little Rock Central High School. He worked behind the scenes in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the closing of the area?s public schools in 1958, and then aided a successful effort to recall segregationist school board members in 1959 (known as the S.T.O.P. campaign). Mitchell?s lifelong commitment to the city?s public school system was further evidenced by his services as chairman of numerous campaigns to secure additional funding for the public schools. Maurice?s progressive views and civic-mindedness were never confined to education. He was an active member and leader of numerous organizations, including the Little Rock Junior Chamberof Commerce, Arkansas State Junior Chamber of Commerce, Baptist Health Foundation, Fifty for the Future, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Foundation Fund Board. He was a member of the Pulaski County Bar Association (president, 1990-91); member of Arkansas Bar Association (secretary-treasurer and member of executive committee, 1952-59,chairman of Task Force Committee to help provide legal services to the poor, 1996-99, and continued as member of Committee until 2003); and member of American Bar Association. Fellow and patron of Arkansas Bar Foundation; Fellow of American Bar Foundation; and former member of Board of Directors of American Judicature Society. There will be a visitation held Wednesday, April 6, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ruebel Funeral Home, followed by a memorial funeral service Thursday at 11 a.m. at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church officiated by Reverend Britt Skarda and Reverend Lynn Lindsey. Arrangements are under the direction of Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials should be made to the H. Maurice & Elizabeth Stockley Mitchell Endowment of the Pulaski Heights UMC Foundation, 4823 Woodlawn Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205, or the Arkansas Arts Center Foundation, 501 East Ninth Street, Little Rock, AR 72202