Donald Ray Pettit (2019)

PETTIT

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:04:33

Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home
Winterset Chapel
Winterset, IA

Donald Ray Pettit

Don Pettit, 82, of Winterset died May 21, 2019, at his daughter’s home in Sugar Land, Texas.
A visitation will be held from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday May 31, at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Winterset with a Rosary at 7:00 p.m.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 1, at the church with lunch following. Burial will be in the Greenfield Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the St. Joseph Catholic Church and the VFW Post 8142 Student Scholarship Fund.

Donald Ray Pettit was born 82 years ago on a small farm in Zion, Iowa, on March 28, 1937, to Agnes and Ed Pettit. He was the fourth child of seven children. Don had three brothers, Bill, Dick, and Jerry; and, three sisters, Lucille, Joann, and Janice. The family moved a lot due to work so roots never grew too deep in any one place. Therefore, Don attended many different schools; and, many times more than one in a given school year. He never graduated from high school due to desiring to join the Army. Since he was not of the legal age of 18 to enlist, his mother had to sign, giving permission for him which she did not want to do but his mind was made up. So in the fall of September, 1954, at the young age of 17, he joined the Army. Don took his basics at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas. He was then sent to Fort Dix in Trenton, New Jersey, and from there to Fort Lewis, Washington. He then received orders to be sent to Babenhausen, Germany, to serve during the Korean Era.

During a 30 day leave, he came back home to Iowa to visit his family. He was on the bus heading home when he met the love of his life, Lois Jean, who was also on that bus going home to Greenfield to see her family. They dated and when the time came that they wanted to marry, Don found himself not of legal age to do so. Once again, his mother had to sign, giving permission for her 20 year old son to marry.

They were united in marriage on March 15, 1957, in Greenfield, Iowa. They moved to Tacoma, Washington, where he was stationed and began their family. The family went back to Gehlhausen, Germany, for his next assignment. One highlight of Don’s time there was working on Elvis’s Jeep when it was broken down. Don served 8 years in the U.S. Army as a Specialist E5, serving as senior truck mechanic. Don was honorably discharged in September, 1961.

Don and Lois moved back home to Iowa and bought a house at 603 East Court Avenue in Winterset where they raised their children, Roger, Dawn, Deanna, and Gary. It was a wonderful neighborhood filled with great neighbors and a lot of great kids which still holds many cherished memories and built friendships for a lifetime.

Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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