Dolinda Elena Grace Bauer Mitchell began her schooling in London, England before her family returned to Puerto Rico where her father was president of Inter American University in San German and where she graduated high school in 1965.

After leaving the island to continue her education she returned to Puerto Rico in 1971 to work while completing her bachelor and master's degrees in education administration.

She moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1978 with her son, Sean, to pursue her career in education spanning 30 years, first at Western International University and then Arizona State University West campus where she worked with international student admissions and was Senior Program Coordinator for Multicultural Services.

Elena grew to love Arizona and its natural beauty and diverse cultures while at the same time keeping her Puerto Rican heritage close to her heart. In 2007 she co-founded, managed, and performed with a folkloric dance troupe showcasing the traditional Afro-Caribbean dances of Puerto Rico traveling throughout Arizona performing at schools, on Cox "Su Vida" and participating in local cultural festivals sharing the rich history, traditions, and culture of Puerto Rico. 

She is preceded in death by her parents, Ronald C. Bauer and Ethel Bell Church Bauer both originally from North Dakota.

She is survived by her loving husband Donald B. Mitchell, brother and two sisters-in-law, a nephew and a niece, her son; and a granddaughter.