She had fondly hoped to remain at Vassar until she should be seventy years old, of which she lacked about six months.

It was hoped that complete rest might lead to several years more of happy life for her; but it was not to be so--she died in Lynn, June 28, 1889.
It was one of Miss Mitchell's boasts that she had earned a salary for over fifty years, without any intermission.

She also boasted that in July, 1883, when she slipped and fell, spraining herself so that she was obliged to remain in the house a day or two, it was the first time in her memory when she had remained in the house a day.

In fact, she made a point of walking out every day, no matter what the weather might be.

A serious fall, during her illness in Lynn, stopped forever her daily walks.
She had resigned her position in January, 1888.