Mary Lou Pettit

Independent, strong, and driven, Mary Lou Pettit had a contagious zest for life and a never-ending vitality that was unmatched. She lived life to the fullest, never letting the norms of the world limit her, and she was the heartbeat of wherever she went. Mary Lou could be quiet, yet she wasn’t afraid to use her voice when it came to matters she was passionate about, and she lived her life to make a difference in the world around her. She was an accomplished traveler who saw so many of the most glorious sights that some can only dream of, yet she took nothing for granted throughout her entire life’s journey. Mary Lou treasured her family and loved being surrounded by the younger generations on her family tree. She will never be forgotten by all who knew and loved her.

The decade of the Roaring Twenties brought us some of the most exciting days we have seen as a nation. Innovation was paving the way for numerous changes that transformed the way we lived our daily lives. Washing machines, refrigerators and motion pictures in both color and sound were just a few of the things that made this such a colorful time. Jazz music, the Charleston, and the jitterbug were among the latest trends while Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb drew record crowds to baseball fields all across the nation. Nestled within this eventful time was the year 1928 that was filled with great joy for a young couple from Grand Rapids, Michigan, as they were pleased to announce the birth of their healthy baby girl on March 25th. Mary Lou was the youngest of three children born to her parents, Emerson and Laureen (Weigel) Pettit, and she was raised in the family home on Aberdeen Street on the Northeast side of the city alongside her sisters, Betty and Jamie.

Known to most as Pete, Mary Lou was a young child of her generation. She attended Aberdeen Elementary and sang in the church choir as she was blessed with a beautiful singing voice. While a student at Creston High School she became friends with a group of fellow classmates, and together they were known as “The Tribe.” They were friends for life.

After graduating from high school, Mary Lou continued her education at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. With a passion for learning she eventually earned two master’s degrees, one in Christian education from Hartford Seminary in 1953 and also one in English from University of Michigan in 1962. Mary Lou eventually found work as a guidance counselor at William Penn High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She remained there for over 40 years, returning to Grand Rapids to visit family usually around Christmastime each year.

Throughout her life Mary Lou enjoyed being in tune with the world around her. She took part in the Civil Rights March as she was passionate about civil rights all along her life’s journey. In 1964 Mary Lou participated in the Mississippi Summer Project through which she helped African American people register to vote. Although she was primarily quiet, she was not afraid to speak in public concerning the things she believed in. While in Hartford during her college years she met a young man named Andrew Young who later became the mayor of Atlanta. They became friends, and Mary Lou followed his career.

As one who liked to be busy, Mary Lou was a woman of many interests. She became an enthusiastic football fan while at University of Michigan, and as the story goes she was the first one in the stadium on game days while she was a student there. Mary Lou became very involved in the alumni association at University of Michigan and was involved in the scholarship committee as well. She also became an avid fan of the Detroit Tigers. At home Mary Lou could often be found knitting, and she made all sorts of things that she often gave as gifts including socks and scarves for her nieces and nephews. Known as Aunt Mary to them, she enjoyed singing campfire songs with her great nieces and nephews later in life. She loved traveling, and some of her most memorable trips were to Africa, Greece, Moscow, Tangier, France, South Africa, Norway, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and England.

Mary Lou was very involved with her church. She always sang in the choir and even gave a few sermons. For a time she also worked for the United Church of Christ. Back in Grand Rapids, she was a member of Second Congregational Church and also East Congregational.

Shortly after retiring, Mary Lou returned to Grand Rapids in 2000 so that she could be closer to family. At first she spent many years living in an apartment, but as she needed more care she moved to Sanctuary at St. Mary's where she lived for the last few years of her life. Even as she grew older she didn’t let her age define her, and she continued to embrace each day she was given. Mary Lou satiated her spirit of adventure, too, as she flew over Lake Michigan in her nephew's buckeye, jet skied in her seventies, and rode the biggest water slide at Michigan Adventure. Her sense of independence remained intact as she never wanted to burden anyone.

When reflecting on the life of Mary Lou Pettit, words such as hardworking, vibrant, and fun-loving come to mind. She was organized, even to the point of keeping her magazines alphabetized, and she was a fantastic singer as well. As someone who was firm in her beliefs, Mary Lou was not content to let the world around her pass her by, rather, she took every moment captive. Her philosophy of life was summed up in these words: Even a turtle knows in order to get ahead you have to stick your neck out! A dear woman to many, she will be deeply missed.

Mary Lou Pettit, age 86 of Grand Rapids and formerly of Philadelphia, passed away August 22, 2014. She was preceded in death by her parents Laureen and Emerson Pettit; sisters, Betty McInnis and Jamie Campbell. She is survived by her nieces Patti (Rick) Stefans, Sharon Strasel and fiance' Don Raasch; nephews John (Nora) McInnis, Bill (Annajeanelle) McInnis, Mike (Linda) McInnis, Barry Campbell; 12 great nieces and nephews and 6 great-great nieces and nephews. Mary Lou was a proud alumni of the University of Michigan. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 30 at11 AM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Van Strien Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield NE where friends can visit beginning at 10:30 AM. Memorial donations to the United Church of Christ, Wider Church Ministries in Cleveland Ohio. To read more about Mary Lou's life, visit www.lifestorynet.com

GO BLUE!