Mary Helen Pettiette
Mary Helen Pettiette
Mary Helen Pettiette , Boise, Idaho, passed away at her
son’s home, surrounded by family, on April 24, 2012, after an extended illness.
A fifth generation Texan, Mary Helen was born on January 19,
1927, in Athens, Texas. Her ancestors dedicated themselves to the strength of
their families and the continued growth of their community and country through
hard work. Her great-great-grandfather homesteaded a ranch near Athens in 1838,
while the state was still the Great Republic of Texas. This ancestry qualified
her for the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, which she proudly joined. Both of her great-great-grandparents
homesteaded raw land in Texas and built successful, thriving cattle and horse
ranches. Her great-grandfather and his
two brothers served as officers under General John Bell Hood in the Army of
Northern Virginia during the War Between the States. Her father and uncles were state legislators,
judges and commissioners who were active in formulating and implementing state
and local laws during the late 19
th
and early 20
th
centuries. Her mother was one of the
first female county commissioners in Texas and her brothers and husband served
in the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy respectively in the Pacific Theatre during World
War II.
Mary grew up in the small East Texas town of Athens, during
the depression when many of her neighbors were in need. She and her extended family fared better due
to the ranching life they lived where most basic needs were provided through
self-sufficiency. She grew up with her
grandfather’s words ringing in her ears – “if you don’t work around here you
don’t eat” – so she learned to work.
She graduated from Athens High School in the spring of 1944
and joined a local communications firm involved in supporting the war
effort. She met, dated and married her
older brother’s best friend, P.L., in June of 1951. They had four children: Patrick Pettiette of
Boise, Idaho; Denise Erlinger of Denver, Colorado; Gilda Ray Pettiette (deceased) and Michelle
Clint of Corpus Christi, Texas (deceased).
Their marriage lasted 60 years until it was ended by P.L.’s death in
November of last year.
Mary loved reading and writing poetry and painting. She won the Silver Poet Award from the World
of Poetry which was presented to her in Sacramento, California in 1989. She was a student of Thoreau and Milton. Many of her poems were published and in
circulation today. Her western art, rodeo
clowns and landscape paintings received many awards and showings in the South
Texas art community and galleries. She
was president of the Rockport, Texas Art Guild and was very active in
fundraising and awareness campaigns for the South Texas art guilds.
Her greatest joy, which she often expressed, was being a
mother and homemaker for her family. Her
husband, children and grandchildren were everything to her. She was a Cub Scout den mother and Brownie
leader, a Little League sponsor, she ran countless shuttles to countless games,
was a PTA volunteer, and a volunteer art instructor. She loved her children
totally and completely without qualification. She was relentless in her
admonitions to all her children about their responsibility first to themselves,
then their family, then country, then and only then, occupation. She never let her children forget the great
gifts their ancestors had left them, the sacrifices made to achieve them and
their place in the family continuum. She
was just as relentless in her warmth and compassion for all peoples of good
intent and lived her entire life as a devout Christian. In speaking of the family continuum, one of
her favorite stories was about her great-great-grandfather, Meredith, who, in
1844, deeded forty acres of hilltop land on his ranch to God for a Methodist church
and cemetery. When the county came along
in the 1960s wanting to collect back taxes on the property, she had to show
them the duly registered deed and told them they may have some trouble
collecting from the current owner. The
State of Texas solved the dilemma by making the cemetery and old church a state
historical site, which it remains to this day.
She is survived by her son, Patrick (Lorie) and grandson,
Prescott of Boise; daughter, Denise (Jim) Erlinger and granddaughters, Adrienne
and Danielle of Denver, Colorado; and nine nieces and three nephews.
The family wishes to express sincere and deep gratitude to
St. Luke’s Hospice Services for the diligent and kind care they gave to Mary
during her last few weeks. Wanda Jo,
Kiley, Linda, Cory and Lea were especially good to her.
A memorial service is planned for Saturday, April 28,
2012,
at 1:00 p.m. at Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel in Boise. A reception will follow.
In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions to
the Idaho Humane Society, 4775 Dorman, Boise, Idaho, 83705.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Mary Helen Pettiette, please visit our flower store.
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