SHIRLEY PETTY

Shirley Helen Petty, 78, of Bourbonnais, IL, died Friday, January 30, 2015 at Presence St. MaryÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s Hospital. Visitation will be Friday, February 6, 2015 from 5:00 P. M. until 8:00 P. M. at Lax Mortuary and again on Saturday, February 7, 2015 from 10:00 A.M. until time of Funeral Services at 11:00 A.M. at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church. Pastor C. RamÃƒÂ³nt Morris will officiate and Reverend Portia Lee will deliver the eulogy. Burial on Monday, February 9, 2015 will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Clarksville, TN. Shirley Helen Petty (known by her family and friends as "Helen") was born July 27, 1936 in Clarksville Tennessee. She was the youngest child of the late Nelson Grinstead and Georgia Dickerson Grinstead. She loved her family, especially her mom. She truly loved and missed all of her 9 siblings that preceded her in death: Alice (Reverend Mannie) Johnson, Birdie (Alexander) Scott, Sarah "Shay" Dubose, Minnie Grinstead, Elizabeth (Rev. Clement) Long, Georgia (Leonard) Richardson, Willie Mae (Jimmie) Griffin, John (Margaret) Grinstead and Frankye "Boot" (AD) Wills. She also missed her special nephews, Steven Richardson "Stevie," Will Henry "Sprat" Minor and several "in-laws," nieces, nephews, and cousins who preceded her in death. In addition, she also cherished the memory of several great friends including Bertha Brooms, Maxine Clark, Helen Bryson, Ruthie Alford-Taylor, Wilma Michaud and Reverend John and Marjorie Thompson. Helen attended grammar school in the Clarksville, Tennessee school system. She graduated from Burt High School in Clarksville, Tennessee in 1955. She came to know the Lord at an early age and attended Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Clarksville. She met and married George Franklin Petty on January 7, 1956. The couple moved to Reed City, Michigan where their firstborn child, George Jr. was born. After a few years in Michigan, the family moved to Chicago Illinois. After moving to Chicago she joined Centennial Missionary Baptist Church under the late Rev. Hosie Robinson where she was a faithful member and president of the Mission Society. In Chicago, three girls were added to the family. She worked at the Ambassador East Hotel and with the Chicago Public School System. She later stayed at home to raise her younger children. Helen was an excellent cook and baker. Everyone loved her turkey and dressing, greens, macaroni and cheese, as well as her cakes and pies from scratch. The holidays will never be the same without her Chocolate, Coconut, German chocolate, and Caramel cakes. She also made the best sweet potato and custard ("Chess") pies. While in Chicago, she befriended special ladies such as Allie Mae Scott, Mary Addison, and Wilma Michaud, who became her "sisters." She was very happy to have "family" in the Chicago area and she often got together with them, especially during the holidays. Other biological family ties were also in the Chicago area particularly her late brother John (Margaret) Grinstead, cousins Frank "Red Hoot" (Gladys) Medley and their children. She also enjoyed spending time with cousins Ollie and Syreda Bowden of Chicago and sons Ollie Jr. "Googie" and Darron Bowden. She also held close to her heart her niece, Pat (Leroy) Brown and sons Lee Jr. (Miyoshi) and Jeffrey (Sharonda) Brown. She also had a deep affection for her nephews who lived with her for a short time: the late Will Henry Minor "Sprat" and Steven Richardson "Stevie" and her niece, Kathy Wills. In February of 2005 Helen moved to Kankakee, Illinois where she joined Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church under Pastor Emeritus William H. Copeland Jr. and later Pastor C. RamÃƒÂ³nt Morris. Helen resided at River Valley Supportive Living in Kankakee and later at Our Lady of Victory Nursing Home in Bourbonnais, IL. Helen will continue to be cherished by her husband, George Petty Sr., of Chicago, IL; one son, George Jr. (Bettie) of Chicago, IL, three daughters, Jacqueline (Dr. Rodney) Alford of Bourbonnais, IL, Sonya Petty of Homewood, IL, and Lovice (Craig) Brinkman of Kankakee, IL; a special daughter, Monique (Roy) Mansker; 10 wonderful grandchildren, Renata (David) Hackley of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Natasha (her fiancÃƒÂ©, Sedrick) of Chicago, IL, Rodney II, and Aaron Alford (fiancÃƒÂ©, Jessica), Akilah Petty, Dwayne Petty, Bettie "Snowy," Emmanuel, Derek and Deanna Brinkman; one great-grandson, Yashar Hackley; her brother-in-law, Alan (Pat) Petty of Silver Spring, Maryland and former sister-in-law, Phyllis Petty-Tilley of Houston, Texas. She also leaves her good friends, Johnny (the late Mary) Addison, Allie Mae (the late John) Scott, Mariah (Isaiah) Brinker, Juanita Harris, Delores Wilkins, Leola Copeland, Annie Winfield Brooks, Marshall and Kathleen Vaulx and family, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. We thank the Lord for a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend. Thank you "Mommy" for everything! We love you!

Tributes

SHIRLEY PETTY

July 27, 1936 - January 30, 2015