First Sergeant Robert L. Pettit, Combat Marine, Three tours in Vietnam. Silver Star, Bronze Star w/V for Valor, Three Purple Hearts.
Fellow Marine, Best Friend, and Brother passed away July 5, 2015.
He was a hero, a patriot, a man of honor. Bob was the last man off the ground at Tan Son Nhut Airbase in South Vietnam with the NVA less than a hundred meters away, and the first man to repel down the rope on the M.S. Mayaguise to rescue the merchant seamen from the Cambodian Pirates.
He was known throughout the Marine Corp as a man of integrity, fairness, and intelligence. He presented himself with character, authority, and command presence. He was soft-spoken, generous with praise for others, and humble of his own accomplishments.
In Civilian life he co-founded the Hudson / Pettit Investigative Services which became the West Coast’s second largest detective Agency. The Agency was one of the first to recruit and train men and women to provide protective services to corporation executives, entertainers, and public figures. Hudson / Pettit was the fore-runner in overseas covert civilian support to federal agencies in the Serb-Croatia-Bosnia Theater of operation.
Upon retirement from corporate life he moved back to his beloved Texas to raise cattle and write.
Husband, Father, Grand Father, Great grandfather. Brother, Uncle, Friend.
Robert Loyal Pettit did himself proud in this life. He will be missed until the end of time.
Survivors include his wife Jean Pettit of May; one daughter Christine Russell and husband Scott of May; two granddaughters Carolann Lucian and husband Chris and Sarah Tedesco and husband Mike; siblings Grace Hefner and husband David of May, Michael Pettit and wife Sharon of Pensacola, Florida, Sheila Richardson and husband Randy of May, Mary Burd and husband Jerry of Beaumont, Texas, Christine Eberle and husband John of Houston, Texas; uncle James Harrison and wife Esther of May, three great grandchildren and by numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Amy and one sister Barbara Taylor.
A memorial service celebrating the life of Robert L. (Bob) Pettit, age 76, of May, Texas will be held 7:00 PM Thursday, July 9, 2015 at the Heartland Funeral Home with military honors. Jim Looby will officiate.
Friends are invited to sign the guestbook at www.heartlandfuneralhome.net.