MARTHA JEAN PETRIE – 14 January 1931 – 3 November 2020
Martha Jean (Rosbrugh) Petrie returned to her Lord on November 3,2020 after a difficult battle with cancer. She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Walter “Pete” Petrie, her mother and father, Paul Coppes Rosbrugh and Martha (Himes) Rosbrugh, her brothers, William and Richard Rosbrugh and sister-in-law Shirley Rosbrugh. She is survived by her five daughters, Jean Elizabeth (Petrie) Windsor, Anne Petrie Collord (Barry), Cherylyn (Petrie) Osthagen (Bill), Lora Petrie Hanson (Larry), and Gwen Petrie; her five grandchildren, Daniel Townsend, Sean, Brian (Hannah), and Colleen Collord, and Izak and Lynn Hanson; her great grandchildren, Faye Collord and Aiden Townsend; and cousins and nephews. She was born on January 14, 1931, in Nappanee, Indiana. She graduated from Riley High School in South Bend, Indiana and was the first woman in her family to graduate from college. She and her high school sweetheart, Walter “Pete” Petrie were married in November 1952 and she began a life of devotion to her family and her husband’s military career. They lived in multiple states and the Philippines, and after retirement from the military moved to Foley, Alabama. In 2000, she and Pete retired to Starkville, Mississippi, where they enjoyed a quiet country life with grandchildren and family.
She was a woman of iron will, grace, and kindness, with an infectious smile. She left her daughters and grandchildren with an enduring love of music, history, art, flowers, and animals, as well as the importance of service to others. In Lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in Martha Jean’s memory to The National Coalition for Literacy. Please go to www.welchfuneralhomes.com to view an extended life story, and to add comments of condolences.
