William O. (Bill) Petty |
| Posted 2008-11-03 by Judy Wight Branson |
| The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Saturday, January 7, 2006 Major William O. Petty (USAF Ret), born Sept. 15, 1953, in Terre Haute, Ind., passed away suddenly on Jan. 2, 2006, at his home in Prescott. Bill married Sally Jones in 1971, and had one daughter, Andrea, born in 1970. Known to all as "Bill", he proudly served in both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force, was an avid mountain biker, tireless friend, good Samaritan in the truest sense and recognizable by his trademark outfit of shorts, T-shirt and Tevas, no matter what the weather. He enlisted in the Army in 1973, and his service included basic training at Fort Knox, Ky., 91-B training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Basic Field Medic, Paratrooper school at Fort Benning, Ga., where he was awarded his jump wings, Army Special Forces training at Fort Bragg, N.C., then onto 300FI Medic School at Fort Sam Houston, Expert Field Medical Badge and was awarded the Jungle Warfare Expert Badge in Panama. He was honorable discharged from the Army as a Specialist 5th Class, on Aug. 25,1977. Bill entered Indiana State University in 1977 earning his Associates Nursing Degree followed by a BA degree in Nursing in 1981. Once again, he felt the need to serve his country. He was commissioned in the USAF Nurse Corps in September 1981, returning to active duty in January 1982. Bill served 4-1/2 years in SCU in the Medical Center at Scott AFB, Ill. In 1986, he was reassigned to Alaska, first, as the nurse manager of Med/Surg, then the SCU. In 1990, he headed south to Brooks AFB, Texas, as Charge nurse of a Primary Care Unit. Bill was selected as the Company Grade Officer of the Year in- 1992 and was selected for an AFIT assignment in 1994. He earned his MSN in Nursing Administration at the University of Texas, Austin, in 1995. His next assignment was Kessler AFB, Miss., as the Nurse Manager of Cardio/Thoratic Unit, followed by a position as the Nurse Manager of Same Day Surgery Unit. In 1997, Alaska beckoned him again. His last military assignment before retirement in December 1999 was with the 3rd Medical Group as the Chief of Multi-Service Unit. Bill re-marriedi Jan. 6, 2000, to Linda Netick in Kauai, Hawaii. Bill realized a life-long dream by making three trips around the country on a mountain bike odyssey with Linda. They briefly returned to Alaska, then settled in Prescott in 2004. Bill began nursing on the 4th floor at Yavapai Regional Medical Center and was recently promoted to Lead Mentor, a position that Bill was pleased to accept. Bill is survived by his wife, Linda Petty and special pup, Kiska. He is also survived by his daughter, Andrea Gault and her husband, Bibb, along with two grandchildren, Joe and Megan. Other survivors include uncles, Carl (Margaret) Petty, Robert Petty, aunt Freda Purdue, cousins and a multitude of friends. A private memorial is scheduled at his home in Prescott, Jan. 7,2006. Remembrances may be amde in his name to the charity of the donor's choice. The Hampton Funeral Home assisted the family. Information provided by survivors. |
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