Jean Pettit

The Mass of Christian Burial for Jean Dolores Pettit of Wadena will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Friday, November 9, 2012 at the St. Ann's Catholic Church in Wadena with Father Tim Wenzel as celebrant. Friends may call at the Johnson-Schuller Chapel in Wadena on Thursday from 5:00 until 8:00 PM, with Parish Prayers being held at 6:00 PM and Christian Mother's Rosary service at 7:00 PM, and at the church on Friday from 9:30 AM until the time of mass. Jean passed away at the age of 84 years on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at the Fair Oaks Lodge in Wadena. Jean Dolores Stuntebeck was born to Romeo and Sarah (Stinar) Stuntebeck on April 16, 1928 in Wadena, MN. She graduated from Wadena HS and went on to school in Kansas City, MO to obtain a FCC radio operator’s license. Not liking being so far from family, she returned home and at the age of 19, married Alan Pettit of Verndale, at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Wadena on August 12, 1947. Her passion was her husband and family. Alan was her world for over 62 years. She loved to cook and feed anyone who was hungry at any hour, whether after school activities or during hunting season. She turned to her pantry of home-canned goods, tomatoes, chicken, jams & jellies or her many jars of pickles. There were always baked cookies, cinnamon rolls and bars, especially in abundance during holidays when she made special candies and cookies for family and friends. She was known for making and freezing up to 50 apple pies to use throughout the year. Jean often focused her attention on the outdoors with her love of gardening, especially flowers, including her many roses. That interest brought her to become a member of the Wadena Garden Club. She cared for God’s creation by loving all animals and was especially fond of dogs. Every pet was treated like family, even caring for her daughter’s pet raccoon, brought home as a baby. Backyard birdfeeders were always filled to the brim attracting as many species as possible. Alan loved the antics of the chipmunks and squirrels so she fed them, too. Jean was a great wife, mom and grandma to everyone in her family, always thinking of everyone else before herself. The grandchildren had the special name “My” for her. Jean was predeceased by her parents Romeo and Sarah; husband Alan on September 28, 2009; son Jeffrey on February 8, 2012; sister Elizabeth “Betty” Fiskum; brothers-in-law Robert, James and Bert Pettit, Dale Mielke; and sisters-in-law Margaret Pettit, and Blanche and Marie Mielke. Jean is survived by her children Scott (Paula) of Wadena; daughter, Diane (David Bjerknes) Pettit of Edina; daughter-in-law Mary Pettit of Wadena; 14 grandchildren, NeTesse (Jon) Regenold, Travis, Chelsea, Jascha (Laura), Wyatt (Andi), Colter, Bridger, Jarrett, and Lleyten Pettit, Jamie Pettit, Cory (Kristine) Pettit, Maggie (Mike) Jacobson, Emily (Bob) Weiher, and Linnea Bjerknes; 9 great-grandchildren, Lillia, Jonah & Oliver Regenold, Jacksen Pettit & Annika Jacobson, Kloe Pettit-Sperling & Owen Weiher, Summer & Jaeger Pettit; brother Jim (Jane) Stuntebeck of Klamath Falls, OR; and brothers-in-law Charles (Eileen) Pettit of Brainerd and Loren (Iona) Fiskum of Wadena. Honorary pallbearers will be all of Jean’s grandchildren & great-grandchildren. Serving as pallbearers will be Jamie Pettit, Cory Pettit, Travis Pettit, Jascha Pettit, Wyatt Pettit, Colter Pettit and Bridger Pettit. Burial will be next to her husband in St. Frederick’s Catholic Cemetery in Verndale.

Jean Pettit

April 16, 1928 - November 3, 2012