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COLONIE — Veronica Ann Mitchell passed away Aug. 4, 2022, in Ocean City, Maryland, at the age of 80.

Veronica was born in DuBois, Pennsylvania, in 1942, the daughter of the late Walter J. and Verna A. Sikora. As a child she was given the nickname Tootsie, which endured for her lifetime.

Veronica attended school in DuBois and was a graduate of the class of 1960. She was a member of St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church. She attended Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania, and graduated with a double major in education and music. She began her teaching career in East Meadow, New York, where she taught music at the junior high school level. It was there that she met her husband, the late Thomas P. Mitchell, and they married in 1966.

Veronica, Ronnie to many, and Tom dedicated the next chapter of their lives to raising their three children in upstate New York: Thomas Nicholas (Olivia); Sallyanne (Carl Meier) and Scott Andrew (Nancy). Veronica instilled in her children the importance of education, the strength gained from a deep faith, a love for music, the deliciousness of fresh vegetables from a garden, the joy of beloved pets, the excitement of a journey, and the value of relationships with family and friends. 

While in Canastota, New York, she put her love of music and the Lord to service in the music ministry at St. Agatha’s RC Church. After moving to Colonie in 1982, she resumed her own education and attained her master’s degree in education from The College of St. Rose. She was an active member of The Church of Saint Clare. She continued her passion for teaching and served at St. Teresa of Avila School and in the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk school district. At RCS she taught elementary music and finished her career teaching kindergarten for many years. It was in this role that she was able to begin the joy of learning for countless numbers of students.

After retirement, Veronica spent much of her time traveling to both explore new places and to visit longtime family and friends. She continued serving her church community and began a pursuit of dancing, both ballroom and line dance, that kept her active and cultivated many sweet friendships. She experienced no greater joy than the love of her grandchildren: Maggie, Will and Betsy Meier of Nashville, Tennessee; and Sarah and Andrew Mitchell of Sykesville, Maryland, are heartbroken at their loss.

In addition to her children, their spouses and their children, Veronica is survived by her brother, Edward (Marlene) Sikora; her sisters, Nancy (Dave) Selzler and Anna Marie (Dan) Moore; and many nieces and nephews, who all loved her as “Aunt Tootsie.” She is also survived by her sisters-in-law, Roberta (Roy) Mingus and Elaine Sikora.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother Joseph Sikora, and sister Patty (Andy) Verostic.

Funeral services were held in Colonie. Veronica will be privately interred with her late husband at Memory Gardens. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to EWTN Global Catholic Network or Wounded Warrior Project, two of the many charities dear to her heart. 

To leave a message of condolence to the family, visit www.CannonFuneral.com.