Mildred “Henry” Louise Miller Pettit was born on April 20, 1925 in Rutherfordton, North Carolina to the late Garland Miller and Hattie Forney Miller. She was the youngest of eleven children: Lester, JT, Lonnie, Helen, Viola, Elvee, Florence, Emma, Irene and Idessa – all preceded her in death. Mrs. Pettit departed this life on Friday, January 16, 2015, in Baltimore, MD.
Mildred received her education in the public school system of Rutherfordton. She later moved to Summit, NJ where she resided with her sister Irene, and then to Philadelphia, PA to live with her sister Viola.
In 1943, Mildred married George David Pettit, of Sylva, NC, who later became a college professor, an electrical engineer/scientist, and a civil rights activist. From this union, a son, Alvin Dwight Pettit was born. The family eventually relocated to Turner Station in Baltimore, MD, and later to Aberdeen, MD, where George gained employment as a human factor engineer/scientist at Aberdeen Proving Grounds.
Mildred began a successful life-long career as a licensed beautician and entrepreneur after graduating from Apex Beauty School in North Carolina. The ladies of Bennett College, North Carolina A & T, Turner Station in Baltimore, and Aberdeen, MD often praised and appreciated her talent for hairdressing, and the enjoyable “beauty shop” chats they engaged in. Mildred was known as the “Aberdeen Community Beautician”.
Mildred took special interest in gardening, cooking great meals for her family, being a devoted and loving wife, mother and grandmother, and sharing fond memories about her family and friends, especially growing up in North Carolina with her niece Catherine McDowell who was like her baby sister. She kept in close touch with her nieces and nephews Eileen, Glo, Larry Miller, and several others. When feeling lucky, special interest was also given to “playing the lottery.” Her son Dwight characterizes his mother as “the glue and the support that held our family together through many tough times”. She, in turn she loved and lived for her son.
She will sincerely be missed by her family and the numerous friends she made throughout the years. Yes, it will seem strange here without “Mom” or “MaMa”, but the void will be filled with many wonderful memories of our loved one.
Left to cherish those precious memories are her son, attorney and author A. Dwight Pettit, Sr., Baltimore, MD, daughter-in-law, Barbara Moore
Pettit, administrator; grandson, Alvin Dwight Pettit, Jr., artist, and Director of the Bethune Cultural Center, Jersey City, NJ; granddaughter, Nahisha Tamara Pettit, actress, writer, entrepreneur; great-granddaughter, Georgia David Pettit, student, both of Los Angeles, CA; brotherin-law, Joseph Pettit, sister-in-law, Christine Pettit both of North Carolina; sister-in-law, Ruby Pettit, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and cousin, Marion Conley, Baltimore, Maryland; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, January 24, 2015 at the William C. Brown Community Funeral Home located at 321 S. Philadelphia Boulevard, Aberdeen, Maryland 21001. The Family Hour is at 10:00 a.m. and the Funeral is at 11:00 a.m.