George Overton Pettus Jr.

PETTUS George Overton Pettus Jr., 93, farmer, conservationist, investor and speculator, died on December 30, 2006. Known as "Oate", Mr. Pettus represented Walton District on the Charlotte County Board of Supervisors for 25 years. He was a member of the Keysville Town Council, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Historic Staunton River Foundation. He served on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Association of Counties, Colonial Farm Credit, the Virginia Milk Commission, Virginia Dairyman's Association and the Piedmont Planning Commission. After working at Virginia Seed Services, now Southern States, and American Tobacco Company in Richmond, Mr. Pettus returned home in 1937 to operate Four Locust Farms and a merchantile business established by his father. He ran a hay brokerage service for local farmers and at one time owned a Chrysler dealership which sold Case, Gehl and New Holland farm machinery. Until shortly before his death, Mr. Pettus remained active in civic endeavors. He was a strong supporter of projects that celebrated Southside Virginia's historic and natural resources, including recent efforts to save the Clarkton Bridge on the Staunton River and to renovate the Keysville and Fort Mitchell depots. Mr. Pettus, son of the late Bertha Hanmer Pettus and George Overton Pettus, attended Randolph Macon Academy, Randolph Macon College and the College of William and Mary. He was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Survivors include his wife of 69 years, Kathleen Shackleton Pettus; a daughter, Bernardine Pettus Tucker and son-in-law and friend, Robert Tucker of Keysville; two grandsons, Daniel J. Farnsworth and wife, Tammy of Greenville, S.C., Zachary Tucker and wife, Dara or Keysville; three granddaughters, Kathleen Farnsworth Braun and husband, David of Swansea, Mass., Ka-Le Pettus Congdon and Kandi Pettus Fisher and husband, Ryan of Richmond; and seven great-grandchildren, Cullen, Jared and Campbell Farnsworth, Dalton Tucker, Blake Congdon, Wyatt and Walker Fisher. He was preceded in death by his son, George O. Pettus III; a sister, Eloise Wynne Roberts; and a brother, Reginald H. Pettus. Graveside services will be held on Monday at 11 a.m. at Ash Camp Memorial Cemetery in Keysville. The Browning Funeral Home in Keysville, Va. is in charge of arrangements.