John A. Petty's Obituary
John A. Petty, 97, went to be with his Lord and Savior August 9, 2007. He was born July 17, 1910 in Siloam Springs, Arkansas to Alonzo Frank Petty and Clara Stultz Petty. He moved to Longview, Texas in 1947 to begin his own construction company, John A. Petty Contractor which later became Longview Construction Company. As the company expanded he paved streets, built highways, bridges and dams and laid water and sewer lines in Texas and Louisiana. He built much of the infrastructure still used today and helped establish the foundation for the economic growth of the City of Longview. His largest project was the construction of the levee system that protects the City of Dallas even today from flooding by the Trinity River
He was a member of the board of director of the YMCA, Cherokee Water Board, and a member of the Citizens Council of the Scott and White Memorial Hospital.
In 1953 John was declared a Master of the Royal Secret of the 32nd Degree of Scottish Rite and in 1977 he was presented at the Ceremonial of Investiture with the Rank of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour at the Scottish Rite Temple in Dallas. In 1975 he was presented a Life Membership by Longview Masonic Lodge #404 and in 2003 he received his 50 years pin.
He served as an elder on the official board of First Christian Church and regularly attended the Loyal Men Bible class for over 60 years.
He enjoyed coaching little league baseball where his team of 11-year olds, the Eagles, won the State of Texas Little League Championship in 1952. His passion for supporting the youth of Longview was shown in the numerous students that were able to attend college due to his generosity and kindness ? most of which he helped anonymously.
John?s greatest passion was breeding and racing thoroughbred horses. He established the first Class A training track in East Texas. From 1970 through 1996 his Paradise Farms horses won over 300 races at tracks including Churchill Downs and Oakland Park. One of his favorite horses, Daytime Tudor, won the Texas Derby for three years olds at Louisiana Downs.
He was preceded in death by his daughter Nancy Kindle in 1966 and his loving wife of 67 years, Velma Petty, who passed away October 8, 1998.
John is survived by his daughter Elaine Allen, his former son-in-law Harry Allen; 3 grandchildren: Kathy Allen Linton and her husband Zeke of Longview, Steve Allen and his wife Cindy of Longview, and Keith Petty Kindle and his wife Susan of San Antonio; 5 great grandchildren: Chelsea Allen of Dallas, John Allen at the University of Texas, Nancy Lou Kindle of Missouri City, William Wayne Kindle and John Christian Kindle of San Antonio.
His family will always remember his favorite quote from Grantland Rice:
?For when the One Great Scorer comes to mark against your name,
He writes ? not that you won or lost ? but how you played the game.?
Funeral services will be 10 AM Monday in the Chapel of Rader Funeral Home, Longview, with Reverend David Farmer officiating. Interment will follow in Memory Park Cemetery.
The Family will greet friends at the funeral home Sunday, August 12, from 3 to 5 PM.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First Christian Church, 720 N. Sixth St., Longview, TX 75601
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