Ida Gene Mitcham

Sep 30, 1913 - Jun 4, 1996

SOUTH BEND Ida Mitcham, former program director of Hering House and longtime leader in the black community, died after an illness at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in St. Joseph's Medical Center. She was 83.

Miss Mitcham, of Wayne Street, was known for her work with Hering House, an African-American community center. Hering House became the focal point in the community for African-American activities and Miss Mitcham was the program director and girls' work secretary. Miss Mitcham worked with the African-American community center from 1933 until it closed in 1965. The center was at 732 Division St., now known as Western Avenue. It was started in the 1920s to create art, drama, civic, industrial and athletic programing for area children, teens and adults. The center was affiliated with the Urban League in 1956. Miss Mitcham also worked for 10 years with the Urban League.

Miss Mitcham retired from the South Bend Community School Corp. as mailroom supervisor, in purchasing and at the receptionist station.

She was born Sept. 30, 1913, in Texarkana, Texas, and lived in South Bend since 1924. She was a member of Grace AME Zion Church, where she was a deaconess, member of the Guild Society and former president of the stewardesses. She also was involved in the Council of Churches, Jewish Com- munity Council, Junior Red Cross, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and teen programs at the YWCA. An avid collector, Miss Mitcham had scrapbooks and mementos from the black community that were exhibited at the Northern Indiana Historical Society.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday in the church. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. today in Clark's Funeral Chapel and two hours before services on Thursday in the church.

The South Bend Tribune·South Bend, IN, 05 Jun 1996

Sources: Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com and FindAGrave.com

09/02/2026 EJS

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/231905997/ida-gene-mitcham