Kathy Elise Petit

Kathy Elise Petit GREENWOOD - Kathy Elise Petit, celebrated for her charm, wit and beauty, died Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013, after a brief illness. A native of Greenwood, S.C., Kathy was born Feb. 12, 1963 and was the daughter of Dr. Edward L. "Pete" Petit and the late Helen Miller Leaman Petit. She was the wife of Colonel (ret) Eric C. Murdock and the mother of Leaman Elise Mosby of Anderson and Caroline Mosby of Myrtle Beach, both of whom share her same joy for life and passion for animal prints. Although she was a child of a small Southern town, Kathy lived larger than life. She won her first beauty pageant at age 15 and became Junior Miss Greenwood, Miss Greater Greenwood County and the S.C. Princess of Flowers, the only young woman from Greenwood to win all three pageant titles. She was a finalist in the Miss South Carolina Pageant and also proudly wore the Miss Sumter crown, among numerous others. She was crowned America's Miss Dixie and, in turn, crowned America's Miss Yankee in New York City. Kathy made her debut at the Danse de Noel Assembly in Greenwood. She became a professional model in New York and stunned no one when she was selected to be a Playboy Bunny at the organization's Manhattan location. After leaving New York, Kathy lived in the Middle East and California before returning to the South. She became an avid Hokies fan and retired from Virginia Tech where she was a computer software specialist. A proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Kathy became immersed in genealogy research and collaborated with her sister to discover the family's 34 American Revolution Patriots. Her ancestry includes Hugh Capet, first King of the Franks and the Emperor Charlemagne. Clearly, Kathy was always meant to wear a crown. Kathy never met a pair of stiletto heels or an animal print design that she didn't like, but she was most fond of spending time with her daughters, tracking Revolutionary War sites and going to vintage War Bird air shows with her husband, snuggling with her beloved dog Dixie, and shopping at the Hospice Thrift Store in Greenwood. In addition to her husband, daughters and father, Kathy is survived by her sister Karen Petit of Columbia and stepsons Jason Murdock of Marietta, Ga., and Ben Murdock and his wife Delia of Raleigh, N.C. She attended Winthrop University and Pacific Travel School. Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday at 3:00 PM from the Blyth Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. J. William Harris and Rev. Archie Moore officiating. Burial will follow in Liberty Spring Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Cross Hill. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Tuesday from 6-8 PM and at other times at the home, 104 Highland Drive in Greenwood. Those desiring may make memorials to Carolina Poodle Rescue, Business Office 10901 Reidville Road, Greer, SC 29651. For online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com. Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Petit family.