Vernes Lee Mitchell was born on July 3, 1942 in the community of Mount Eden in Gonzalez County, Texas to Vernes and Nightry Mitchell. He is the eldest of 2 children born to this union. He grew up in Corpus Christi.

Vernes accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at St. Matthew Missionary Baptist Church by the late Rev. C.H. Warren.

Vernes attended Solomon Coles and other schools in the CCISD system and graduated from Roy Miller High School in 1960. He was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam in the Artillery Division. He held the National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and Vietnam Service Medal. He served July 6, 1966 through July 5, 1968 when he was honorably discharged.

Vernes' career started before Vietnam by working security at Reynolds Metals. They held his job for him while he completed his service to our country, and he restarted his career upon his return in 1968. He retired from Reynolds after 37 years of service in 2002.

Vernes served as a freemason beginning in 1985, under the M.W St. Joseph Grand Lodge Charter. Vernes was also a member of the NAACP Corpus Christi Branch.

Vernes married Burnetta Woods Land in 1979. Their blended family consisted of 4 children, Rodney, Catrina, Pam and Charles.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Vernes and Nightry Mitchell, and his son, Rodney Lee Mitchell.

Vernes leaves to cherish his many precious memories: his wife, Burnetta; his brother, Warren Douglas Mitchell (Candace); his daughters, Catrina Scott and Pam Mitchell; his son, Charles Land (Catherine); his grandchildren, Alton Scott II, Loren Byerly, Courtney Land Harris (Michael), Cole Nesbitt, and Jessica Land; his godchildren Felisha Dailey, Jamon Spears, and E'Laysha McDonald; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and extended family and friends.