Mitchell Richard Elkins "Mike", age 70, died in his home on Monday, December 26th, 2016, surrounded by his son, Michael, daughter-in-law, Lisa, and his grandson, Michael Jr. He died from complications stemming from his decade long battle with Prostate Cancer Stage IV and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Stage III.
*
Born August 16, 1946 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Mitchell was adopted by Silvia (Sonder) and Simon Elkins who provided a very loving home. Mitchell often looked back fondly on memories of the old neighborhood, his childhood friends and the many summers he spent at overnight camp. Mitchell graduated from Overbrook High School in Philadelphia Pennsylvania in 1964.
*
Mitchell attended college at New Mexico Highlands University in New Mexico for one year. However, he soon missed home and subsequently transferred to Temple University in Philadelphia and later to West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania where he continued to pursue his college degree for a few semesters. Not long passed before Mitchell decided that radio broadcasting was his true passion. Mitchell left college and pursued his degree in radio broadcasting at the Career Academy in Washington DC. He continued his radio education at Radio Electronics Institute in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He graduated from radio school in 1969 and obtained his first job at WEEZ radio station based in Chester, Pennsylvania also in 1969. In the early 1970's, he was one of the first on air personalities for the newly created WPEN and then WMGK radio stations based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. However, Mitchell spent the majority of his career (almost 30 years) working at WBUD and their sister radio station, WKXW, in Trenton, NJ. He was an on air personality known to many as "Mike Landry" where he had daily trivia challenge known as "Landry's College of Knowledge" and also hosted the "Laid Back Lunch Hour". While working at WBUD and WKXW Mitchell worked as a Program Director for WKXW, as well as assisting in the engineering and production of many well-known radio shows such as The Deminski and Doyle Show, The Jersey Guys (Carton & Rossi), Big Joe Henry, and the Jim Gearhart show. Additionally, he engineered and produced the Trenton Thunder baseball games along with the famous Philadelphia Flyers announcer, Jim Jackson. Mitchell also engineered and produced the Rider University basketball games while he worked at WBUD.
*
Mitchell was a member of the Masons and was proud to be a Third Degree Master Mason. He also holds a First Class Federal Communications License (FCC).
*
Mitchell will be especially remembered for his quick wit, his amazing will and his loving nature.
*
Survivors include Mitchell's son, Sean Elkins and his wife, Christine, and their children William and Colin. Mitchell's son and caregiver, Michael Elkins Sr. and his wife, Lisa, and their children Airyanna and Michael Jr. Other survivors include, Mitchell's Nephew and Godson, Brendan McLaughlin and his wife Stephanie, and their children, Brendan and Quinn. Also surviving Mitchell are his niece, Colleen Messing and her son, Nolan. Mitchell is pre-deceased by his former wife, Maureen Messing.
*
Services will be held on Friday, December 30th, 2016 at 7PM at Wagontown Union Chapel, 469 West Kings Highway, Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Burial will be held in private. Relatives and friends are welcome after the service for dessert and coffee directly following at the Wagontown Union Chapel Dining Hall.
*
Born August 16, 1946 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Mitchell was adopted by Silvia (Sonder) and Simon Elkins who provided a very loving home. Mitchell often looked back fondly on memories of the old neighborhood, his childhood friends and the many summers he spent at overnight camp. Mitchell graduated from Overbrook High School in Philadelphia Pennsylvania in 1964.
*
Mitchell attended college at New Mexico Highlands University in New Mexico for one year. However, he soon missed home and subsequently transferred to Temple University in Philadelphia and later to West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania where he continued to pursue his college degree for a few semesters. Not long passed before Mitchell decided that radio broadcasting was his true passion. Mitchell left college and pursued his degree in radio broadcasting at the Career Academy in Washington DC. He continued his radio education at Radio Electronics Institute in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He graduated from radio school in 1969 and obtained his first job at WEEZ radio station based in Chester, Pennsylvania also in 1969. In the early 1970's, he was one of the first on air personalities for the newly created WPEN and then WMGK radio stations based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. However, Mitchell spent the majority of his career (almost 30 years) working at WBUD and their sister radio station, WKXW, in Trenton, NJ. He was an on air personality known to many as "Mike Landry" where he had daily trivia challenge known as "Landry's College of Knowledge" and also hosted the "Laid Back Lunch Hour". While working at WBUD and WKXW Mitchell worked as a Program Director for WKXW, as well as assisting in the engineering and production of many well-known radio shows such as The Deminski and Doyle Show, The Jersey Guys (Carton & Rossi), Big Joe Henry, and the Jim Gearhart show. Additionally, he engineered and produced the Trenton Thunder baseball games along with the famous Philadelphia Flyers announcer, Jim Jackson. Mitchell also engineered and produced the Rider University basketball games while he worked at WBUD.
*
Mitchell was a member of the Masons and was proud to be a Third Degree Master Mason. He also holds a First Class Federal Communications License (FCC).
*
Mitchell will be especially remembered for his quick wit, his amazing will and his loving nature.
*
Survivors include Mitchell's son, Sean Elkins and his wife, Christine, and their children William and Colin. Mitchell's son and caregiver, Michael Elkins Sr. and his wife, Lisa, and their children Airyanna and Michael Jr. Other survivors include, Mitchell's Nephew and Godson, Brendan McLaughlin and his wife Stephanie, and their children, Brendan and Quinn. Also surviving Mitchell are his niece, Colleen Messing and her son, Nolan. Mitchell is pre-deceased by his former wife, Maureen Messing.
*
Services will be held on Friday, December 30th, 2016 at 7PM at Wagontown Union Chapel, 469 West Kings Highway, Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Burial will be held in private. Relatives and friends are welcome after the service for dessert and coffee directly following at the Wagontown Union Chapel Dining Hall.