James S. Pettis

James S. Pettis, 81, a lifelong resident of Snug Harbor, died Monday. He was the beloved husband of Ethel (Tefft) Pettis for 61 years. Born in Providence, he was a son of the late Ellen (Pettis) Arnold and the step son of the late Arthur P. Arnold, grandson of the late Clarence and Ellen Thornton. Mr. Pettis, who had a passion for truck driving, drove for many companies over the years, most recently South County Sand & Gravel and We Lease It Company. He was a volunteer firefighter for the Snug Harbor Fire Department and was a member of the Curtis Corner Baptist Church. Besides his wife he is survived by two children, Laurie A. Gill of Charlestown and James S. Pettis of Port Charlotte, FL; three grandchildren, Jaime E. Gill of Snug Harbor, Colleen M, Binder of Roseland, NJ, and Tyler E. Gill of Escondido, CA; three sisters, Carol MacKenzie, Janet Blackwell, and Marilyn Cooney, all of West Kingston; and a brother Arthur Arnold of West Kingston. A funeral service will be held Saturday at 11 am in the Curtis Corner Baptist Church, 591 Curtis Corner Road, Wakefield. Burial will follow in the Maple Root Cemetery, Coventry. Visiting hours are at the Avery-Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia Street, Wakefield, Friday 4-7 pm. Memorial donations may be made to the ALS Association Rhode Island Chapter, 2374 Post Rd, #103, Warwick, RI 02886.