Robin Mitchell Jechura

In the twilight hours of Monday, October 20, 2025, Robin Mitchell Jechura peacefully returned to the eternal love from which she was created. With both hands held and surrounded by those she loved, she was serenaded to her heavenly home by the songs of Elton John until she was at last embraced by the God who knit her in her mother’s womb and loved her from the beginning.

Born on August 6, 1964 in Nashville, Tennessee to Melvin Wallace Mitchell and Jo Ann Stapleton Mitchell, Robin was the youngest of three children. As a child, she was quiet and shy. She had long blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a sweet smile. She was active in Girl Scouts and loved playing with her Barbie dolls. Memorable birthdays included a Barbie birthday cake that her mother baked and decorated and a gift bicycle she was so excited to ride that she rode it through the house! Her favorite toy was more than a toy: her precious Myrtle – a little stuffed dog that became her comfort object for life.

As a child, she met Corrie Ten Boom – an encounter which had a lasting impact. From that moment on, she sought to love those who were oppressed and overlooked. She could connect with anyone in a meaningful and authentic way and because of that superpower, she was a friend to many.

Robin always applied herself in school and worked hard to ensure a successful future. She graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport, Tennessee in 1982, where she was active with the color guard in marching band, and became the first in her family to graduate from college with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville in textile chemistry and merchandising in 1986. Go Vols! Speaking of those Vols, she was a Tennessee Volunteer super fan for life! She followed Tennessee sports closely – especially football, men’s basketball, and her beloved Lady Vols. Pat Summitt was an influential role model. She was also a life-long Philadelphia Eagles fan. Fly, Eagles Fly!

While in college, Robin worked as a Timette, providing support for the men’s swimming team. It was then that she met Mark Jechura, an All-American swimmer at the University of Tennessee. The two would later marry and have a son named Chet. Robin’s career spanned several decades: from managing the floors at various department stores, to working in human resources at Lowe’s, to serving as a program manager at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, until finally becoming a stay-at-home mom, the job she loved the most and excelled at naturally. She believed her son, Chet, to be her greatest legacy. She was the best mother he could have ever hoped for. She nurtured his interests and unceasingly supported him in big and small ways. Her faith in Jesus Christ and trust in his promise of resurrection were her ground and guide. Robin and Chet were baptized together in 2002.

Robin was an avid collector of books and loved to read. Her favorite authors were Elizabeth Berg and Lynne Hinton. She had a fondness for Princess Diana and enjoyed reading about the royal family, the Kennedys, and the biographies of U.S. Presidents. In 2015, she celebrated with Chet outside the U.S. Supreme Court when marriage equality became the law of the land and together they witnessed the iconic "Rainbow White House." And in December 2016, she returned with Chet to the White House to tour it and admire the beautiful display of Christmas trees and holiday decorations.

She was a road warrior and drove extensively throughout the continental United States. Among her favorite destinations were Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, and she once rode a train across the country with Mark and Chet to California at Christmastime. Her preferred television shows were the old classics: I Love Lucy, Little House on the Prairie, The Andy Griffith Show, The Brady Bunch, and Gunsmoke, among many others. She loved many pop and rock artists and had recently seen the Rolling Stones in concert. But her all-time favorite artist was Elton John and she imparted a love for him to Chet at an early age; they often listened to his albums on road trips they would take together. In 2019, she treated Chet to Elton John’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour, a memory with her he will treasure forever.

Over the years, Robin served with devotion at the churches she attended and was an award-winning self-help course instructor with the Arthritis Foundation. But her greatest commitment of over twenty years was to P.E.O. – an international Sisterhood of women who are purposeful and passionate about celebrating, supporting, and motivating women and whose mission is to help women around the world advance through education. She served her local chapter E in Delaware in many capacities, including as president, and was a delegate from Delaware to the P.E.O. International Convention in Des Moines, Iowa in 2019. She also chaired a committee on the State Board. In her over two decades of service with P.E.O., Robin helped many women receive low-interest loans for higher education through P.E.O.’s Education Loan Fund.

For several decades, Robin endured chronic illness: from rheumatoid arthritis to idiopathic interstitial lung disease. She had a high tolerance for pain and she never let her health challenges slow her down. She was the ultimate giver, as well as a cheerleader for so many. She bravely wore an oxygen cannula for 16 years and through it all, she carried herself with dignity and grace. Her sense of style was impeccable.

In the last two years of her life, she auspiciously reconnected with a friend from her high school years, Dodd Huffaker. The two went on many adventures together and they lived life to the fullest. Dodd was ever by her side and faithfully supported her amid her health challenges. She has fought the good fight, she has finished the race, and she has kept the faith. Now, she is wearing the crown of righteousness in her eternal life.

Robin is survived by her son, Chet Mitchell Jechura (Darian Harnish – whom she loved as her second son), her father Melvin Mitchell, her former husband, Mark Jechura, two siblings, Karen Buck and Tim Mitchell (Kelly), numerous nieces and nephews, and many beloved cousins, including Cindy Craver and Donna Clark. She is preceded in death by her mother, Jo Ann Stapleton Mitchell, and fur babies: Jaspar and Harley.

Robin’s celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church (1314 Foulk Rd. Wilmington, DE 19803). A luncheon will immediately follow. If you plan to attend, please RSVP at: https://bit.ly/m/celebrate-robin

To honor Robin’s life, the “Robin Mitchell Jechura Legacy Fund” has been established to endow an annual scholarship for women seeking to better themselves through learning and higher education. Please consider supporting this fund. To give online, visit: https://peo-portal.com/donations?step=0 On the Donation Details page, direct your gift to the “P.E.O. Foundation” in the drop-down menu and then search for the fund by typing “Robin Mitchell Jechura Legacy Fund” into the fund text box. If you need any assistance with making your donation, please contact the P.E.O. Foundation Manager at 515-255-3153. Thank you for your generosity in celebrating a life well-lived and well-loved. May perpetual light shine upon Robin and may she rest in peace and rise in glory!

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