With all the stories of the Saints/Falcons rivalry floating around today, and with it going to a new level with the Saints bus being egged by Atlanta Airport personel, I decided to let you know that not all Atlanta natives are egg throwing Falcon fans.
It's close, but not all. Joseph Mitchell was such a man.
Joseph Mitchell was a devout Catholic Southern gentleman. He attended Mass regularly at Atlanta’s Cathedral of Christ the King. He was known around the Parish as a very kind, shy person. People found him to be shy because he did not speak much about himself or his family for that matter. But rest assured, every Sunday, you would always find “Joe” sitting in his pew in the Cathedral.
One day, at the age of 76, the little old faithful church going man went to his eternal reward. After his death, it soon became very obvious to folks that there was more to Joseph Mitchell – a lot more.
You see, Joseph Mitchell was the nephew of Margaret Mitchell, yep the author of Gone with the Wind.
Margaret Mitchell died childless after being hit by a car in 1949 and she left her entire estate to Joseph’s dad. Eventually, one-half of Margaret Mitchell’s entire estate came down to our little church going man, Joseph Mitchell.
Well, Joseph Mitchell wrote a will before he died. It detailed exactly what he wanted to do with his estate.
What he did with his Will has just become public knowledge.
He left his entire estate to the Archdiocese of Atlanta, including a 50% share in the literary rights to Gone with the Wind, valued in the millions, a few signed first editions of Gone with the Wind, personal artifacts of Margaret Mitchell and a sum of money in the 15 to 20 million dollar range. His will established how he wished the Archdiocese to use his funds, spreading out his wealth to each parish in the Archdiocese, but providing a sizable sum for a well needed makeover for the Cathedral where he faithfully attended Mass all those years.
That is quite a windfall for the Archdiocese, all from the little old man sitting in his pew every Sunday.
So after our beloved Saints beat down the Falcons tonight, sleep well knowing that at least the egg throiwng Falcon fans can go to their very wealthy church parishes tomorrow and pray for forgiveness.
Who Dat.