Grandpa Great

(From left to right: William Alfred Pettit IV (Will) holding William Alfred Pettit V (Liam), William Alfred Pettit III (Trey), William Alfred Pettit, Jr. (Bill), and William Alfred Pettit, Sr.)

Great-Grandpa Pettit passed away last week, and we shall all miss his wit and wisdom.

I have never been so thankful that we named our son after him as I was at the funeral. He was an amazing man and left behind a legacy that I am proud to pass onto my son. I am thankful that Liam got to know him if only for just a little while.

Although I did not grow up having him as my grandfather, Grandpa Pettit was and is very dear to me. More than grief at his passing, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude that he got to be part of my life for so long. I feel I am a better person just for knowing him.

Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have a different perspetive on death than many. I know that death is not the end, just a passage and that life and families continue on forever. I think that if Grandpa could comment on his life and death, he would repeat to us the words of a poem written by his father William Alfred Pettit, Sr.:

Let there be no weeping when I am called to cross the bar.
The Lord has always blessed me as I've traveled long and far.
His angels have attended to protect from major sin.
His Spirit has always strengthened when my courage was growing thin.

He gave me worthy parents who taught me what was right,
and now I go to meet them in a place that's ever bright.
I have no fears of worries as I prepare to meet them then.
I know you soon will join me, and we'll form a family there.

I've taken many a journey when I knew I'd soon return,
but this one will be different as I've further work to do.
And at last when you've completed all that you were sent to do,
I'll be waiting on the other side with a place prepared for you.

Here's the song Will IV wrote to go with Will I's poem.

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