Paul Louis Petitt

Paul Louis Petitt was born December 18, 1938 in Sheldon, Iowa. The 10th of 11 children of Grover C Petitt and Maryann " Schneider" Petitt.Paul grew up in and around Sheldon being raised by an older sister Helen (Pangborn) Petitt. During his younger years Paul attended Sheldon public schools, graduating from Sheldon High School in 1957. While in school to earn spending money Paul worked for Swanson's Grocery after school and weekends.After graduation Paul joined the United States Air Force and served 1957-1961. He attended basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX where he was in a GEEIA construction sq. From there he went to Denver and Cheyenne, WY at Warren AFB for schooling, then off to Hill AFB Ogden, Utah. From there it was Hawaii for five months, then back to Cheyenne in 1959. There he met and married the love of his life Gesiena "Mitzi" Rogers on August 22, 1959. There were three children from this union Brian Scott, Brent Allen, and Kathleen Louise. In Nov. 1959 Paul was stationed at Elmendorf AF Base in Anchorage, Alaska for 18 months going TDY to several AF stations around the state.After getting out of the United States Air Force he worked a while for the UPRR in Cheyenne and Safeway Grocery for a few years.In 1965 the family moved back to Alaska, where Paul was in charge of a janitorial crew at a friend's business. During this time he made friends with some railroaders and they talked him in to applying for a job, which he did. From Anchorage he went to Healy, Alaska, a small RR town 250 miles north of Anchorage and 100 miles from Fairbanks. After being bumped from his RR job he went to work for Golden Valley Power Plant for 7yrs. His last job in Healy was with USIBELLI COAL CO. In 1978 he hired on with CDK Construction supervising the building of haul trucks in Riverton, Wyoming, Draglines in Hanna, Wyoming, and Coal Silos and such in Gillette.In late 1980 he went to work for ARCO Coal at Black Thunder as a welder, a neck injury sending him to the M&E tool room where he retired in 2002 from ARCH Coal. Later he went to work for Don's super market, working till Feb. 2015 when he quit for health reasons. Paul belonged to Healy Valley Lions Club holding all offices, Clear Sky Sportsman club, Clear Sky Trap Shooting Club, Healy Valley Fire Dept. 1st Fire Chief helping organize the department.Paul had a 50 mile trap line he ran in winter. He liked hunting and fishing and had Paul's Horn Shop mounting big game horns for friends and family.Paul led a full and eventful life, making lifelong friends and wonderful memories. He enjoyed life and his family and 6 wonderful grandchildren, Jessica, Alexander, Dylon, Shannon, Justin, and Wyatt.Paul died July 20, 2015 at Close to Home Hospice House of complications from Lewy Body Dementia.Paul is survived by his wife Mitzi; sons, Brian Petitt of Overton, Nevada; Brent (Cindy) Petitt, Gillette WY, and daughter Kathleen (Randy) Lincoln, Sundance, Wyoming, six grandchildren, and one sister Eleanor "McDuffy" Petitt, along with many nieces and nephews and close friends.He was preceded in death by his Maternal and Fraternal grandparents, his parents and eight brothers and sisters, E. G. Petitt, Helen "Erkes" Petitt, Hilda "Daggett "Petitt, Nina "Beckmann" Petitt, William Petitt, Mary "Hanna" Petitt, "Grover "Bud" Petitt, Dolly Petitt. Betty "Swanson" Petitt.In lieu of flowers please the family asks donations be made to Close to Home Hospice House in Paul's name. Memorials and Condolences may be sent to the family in Paul's name in care of Walker Funeral Home. Condolences may also be sent via the web at www.walkerfuneralgillette.comFuneral Home:Walker Funeral Home410 Medical Arts CourtGillette, WYUS 82716