Violet M. Petri, 87, of Waterford, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on August 8th, 2012 at Sarah A. Reed Retirement Center.
Violet was born in Jamestown, NY on October 31, 1924, the daughter of the late Earl and Ida Hunt Johnson. She grew up on Gilson Ridge, a few miles north of Titusville. Violet was a graduate of Titusville High School and the Valedictorian of the Class of 1941 as well as a 1943 graduate of Mrs. Butler?????s Private Business School in Pleasantville. For most of the balance of the 1940s, she was employed at the Titusville facility of Struthers-Wells.
She met Robert Petri of McKean on a blind date to the Waterford Fair in 1948 and they were married on September 10, 1950. With the exception of an eight-year period in 1980s spent in southern Illinois, they made their home in the Waterford area for the next 58 years until Robert?????s death in 2008.
Violet was a founding member of St. Marks Lutheran Church in Waterford and attended services there faithfully for over half a century, often serving as a regular lector during the services. She was a woman of strong and abiding faith who especially loved the old hymns that are a backbone of the Lutheran tradition.
Violet was a woman of keen intelligence, enormous determination and absolute dedication to her family. She enjoyed reading modern biographies, especially those of public figures in the realms of religion and politics. She loved TV game shows, particularly The Price is Right and Jeopardy. It was not possible to outguess her when it came to The Price is Right. But above all, Violet was a devoted wife, mother, homemaker and a loving and enthusiastic grandmother and great grandmother.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Robert Petri, Sr., by two sisters, Hazel Ralston and June Johnson, and by two brothers, Wayne and Russell Johnson. She is survived by two sons; Robert Petri and his wife Janice of Highland Park, IL and Daniel Petri and his wife Michelle of Greene Township as well as by two daughters, Elaine Gibson and her husband Peter and Laurie Mook and her husband Darrell, all of Waterford. She is also survived by five grandchildren: Kara Hoffman, Natalie Grimes, Joel Gibson and Travis and Aaron Mook and two great grandchildren, Eleanora and Samuel Hoffman. She is also survived by a sister, Beverly James and a brother, Raymond Johnson, both of Jamestown, NY.
Violet?????s family wishes to express its heartfelt appreciation to the wonderful professionals of the 2nd Floor Nursing Staff at Sarah A. Reed Retirement Center for the loving and compassionate care they provided during her four-year residency there. Special thanks also is extended to the excellent team from Great Lakes Home Health Care Hospice who helped guide Violet and her family with dignity and compassion through these last few weeks.
Arrangements are being handled by the Van Matre Funeral Home, 105 Walnut Street, Waterford where visitors wishing to pay respects will be received on Friday, August 10 from 2-4 and from 7-9 pm. A funeral service followed by a luncheon will be held on Saturday, August 11 at 11:00 am at St. Marks Lutheran Church in Waterford, with The Reverend James Judy, Pastor of St. Marks, presiding. Interment will follow at Waterford Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to St. Marks Lutheran Church in Waterford, or to the Juvenile Diabetes Association or to Sarah A. Reed Retirement Center.
AS A YOUNG MAN I WORKED WITH BOB AT PENN BRASS AND COPPER, HE WAS LIKE A DAD TO ME. WHAT A WONDERFUL CHRISTIAN I KNOW THEY ARE TOGETHER IN HEAVEN. BOB TOOK ME COON HUNTING TROUT FISHING WHAT A WONDERFUL FAMILY. IF AN FAMILY MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT ME MY EMAIL IS LARRYLKENNEDY@GMAIL.COM GOD BLESS
Remember her fondly. A lovely person
Jim and Dottie Barton.
Our deepest sympathies at this time of loss. Vi was a radiant woman who touched many lives. RIP.
Bill & Heidi Etzel