Green, Organic and Healthy Living Articles

William A. Mitchell, 1947?2007: Physician and co-founder of Bastyr University

There was a sad passing last week of one of our local champions of education in the field of natural medicine. Dr. William A. Mitchell Jr., naturopathic physician and co-founder of Bastyr University, died Tuesday in Seattle of a heart attack at the age of 59.

Dr. Mitchell was a doctor, teacher, author and philosopher. He taught at various naturopathic colleges throughout North America during the past 30 years. Locally, he co-founded Bastyr University with Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, Dr. Lester Griffith and Sheila Quinn in 1978. He served as it’s first Dean of Admissions.

Bastyr University is a non-profit, private university, which offers graduate and undergraduate degrees, with a multidisciplinary curriculum in science-based natural medicine. The university also has an operation based in Seattle. The Seattle based teaching clinic, Bastyr Center for Natural Health, is the Northwest’s largest natural medicine clinic.

William A. Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in history and served for two years as active naval reserve in Vietnam before earning his doctor of naturopathy degree at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1976. William Mitchell was an excellent guitar player and appeared on the cover of Time magazine at the age of 16 for being the private tutor for the owner of a leading guitar company. William Mitchell was also an avid hiker. His partner and friend, Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, said he would harvest herbs in the mountains and meadows and talk about the history and purpose of each. Dr. Pizzorno was quoted in the Post Intelligencer as saying, “He was very committed to understanding the science, but he was close to the spiritual side of medicine and always inspired the students to work harder.”

According to a release from the university, Dr. Mitchell’s death occurred hours after his son, Noah, who was only 27, also died of a heart attack.

A memorial service will be held at Bastyr University . Once the planning is complete, the announcement will be posted on the university’s web site, http://www.bastyr.edu.