SALISBURY - Maria Adkins Mitchell died on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015, at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury. Born in Salisbury, she was the daughter of the late Arthur G. Adkins and Ruth Truitt Adkins Shores. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church where she was active with the United Methodist Women. She was also a member of the Democratic Club, Happy Timers, AARP and Women Supporting Women. She was a trade unionist with over 50 years of commitment and activism. Among her many proudest moments was participating in the founding convention of the AFL-CIO merger. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband Edward D. "Dempsey" Mitchell; two sons, John and Edward; a brother and three sisters. She is survived by two daughters, Brenda Messick of Delmar and Trudy Andersen of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; a sister, Betty Murray of Wilmington; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one great-great granddaughter; and many nieces and nephews. A funeral service was held on Friday, Aug. 21, 2015, at the Holloway Funeral Home in Salisbury. Burial was in Dennis Family Cemetery.