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Lois Mitchell
CM AOE
Lois Mitchell.jpg
18th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
In office
June 12, 2015 – August 26, 2020
Monarch Elizabeth II
Governor General
Premier
Preceded by Donald Ethell
Succeeded by Salma Lakhani
Personal details
Born
Lois Elizabeth Boulding

(1939-06-22) June 22, 1939 (age 86)
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Spouse
Doug Mitchell
(m. 1962; died 2022)
Children 4
Residences Calgary, Alberta
Alma mater University of British Columbia
Profession businesswoman, philanthropist
consultant, organizer

Lois Elizabeth Mitchell was a very important person in Alberta, Canada. She was the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta from 2015 to 2020. This role is like being the King's representative in the province. Before this, she was a successful businesswoman and helped many charities. She was also a teacher and helped organize many events in Calgary.

Lois Mitchell's Early Life and Work

Lois Mitchell was born on June 22, 1939, in Vancouver, British Columbia. She grew up there and later went to the University of British Columbia. She studied physical education and graduated around 1961.

After university, she worked as a teacher for two years. Then, she moved to Calgary, Alberta. In Calgary, Lois Mitchell started her own business. She founded a company called Rainmaker Global Business Development. This company helps other businesses with marketing and planning. She also became the president of Amherst Consultants.

Helping the Community

Lois Mitchell is known for being a very active person in Calgary. She has helped many organizations. For example, she was on the board of UBS Bank Canada. She also helped with Mitacs, which supports research, and Canada World Youth.

She was a governor for the Canadian Women's Hockey Association. She also helped start the Global Business Forum. Lois Mitchell was one of the twelve people who started Crime Stoppers Calgary. This program helps solve crimes.

She has also been a board member for:

  • The Calgary Chamber of Commerce
  • The Special Olympic Foundation
  • The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
  • The Hockey Canada Foundation

In 1997, she was named an honorary consul for Colombia in Alberta. This means she helped represent Colombia in the province. Lois and her husband, Doug, gave money and organized many sports events, especially for hockey.

Supporting Arts and Sports

Lois Mitchell and her husband, Doug, loved to support the community. In 2012, they helped create the Doug and Lois Mitchell Outstanding Calgary Artist Award. This award celebrates talented artists in Calgary.

Lois also helped women's hockey. In 2007, she started the Hayley Wickenheiser Thunderbird Ice Hockey Endowment. This fund helps support the women's ice hockey team at the University of British Columbia.

Serving as Lieutenant Governor

On May 20, 2015, Lois Mitchell was chosen to be the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. This important decision was made by the Governor General of Canada, David Johnston. She officially started her role on June 12, 2015. She took over from Donald Ethell.

As the Lieutenant Governor, she was the Queen's representative in Alberta. While she was in office, people called her "Her Honour". After her term ended, she kept the title "the Honourable" for life. Her job was to make sure the government worked smoothly and to represent the Queen at events.

Lois Mitchell's Personal Life

Lois Mitchell has received many awards for her work. In 2012, she was appointed to the Order of Canada. This is one of the highest honors a Canadian can receive. She also received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in the same year.

In 1998, she won the Calgary Women of Distinction Award. In 2008, the City of Calgary named her Citizen of the Year.

Lois was married to Douglas Mitchell from 1961 until his passing in 2022. They met when they were students in British Columbia. Doug was a lawyer and used to play Canadian football. Later, he became a commissioner for the Canadian Football League. Lois and Doug had four children: two daughters and two sons.

Her grandfather, Tom Mackie, was also an important public servant. He was the chief of the Calgary Police Service from 1909 to 1912. Lois Mitchell has Scottish heritage.

Arms

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