Peter Petit

Date of Birth

Sep 17,1927

Date of Death

May 10,2019

Peter “Pete” Petit, age 91, of Virgil, was delivered into the arms of his Savior, and finally reunited with the love of his life, his wife Earlene, on Friday, May 10, 2019, surrounded by the love and prayers of his family. Pete and Earlene can now dance to “Stardust” across the celestial heavens.
He was born September 17, 1927 on the family farm in Burlington Township, to proud parents Michael and Elizabeth (Feltes) Petit.
Pete grew up in Burlington Township and attended S.S. Peter and Paul Catholic School. He graduated high school from Marmion Military Academy with the class of 1945.
Pete met the love of his life, Earlene Ambre when she needed a date for a special dance. Pete, while attending Marmion Military Academy, “coincidentally” was boarding with Earlene’s cousin, who became a logical escort. “An officer and a gentleman”, Pete agreed to be Earlene’s date for the dance. As he would later recall, “I thought she was really cute and had a personality to match”. Following graduation, the romance continued. Five years after that first date, Peter secretly asked Earlene’s mother if he could have Earlene’s hand in marriage. Receiving her blessing, Pete proposed to Earlene just before Christmas. They were married on June 17, 1950 at St. Nicholas Church, Aurora, IL. Surely that day, angels sang on high, for their marriage was truly made in Heaven and would last for just shy of 57 years.
They began their life across the street from the family farm for the first five years. The rickety house (the linoleum would float when the wind blew) held four children, Bud, Donna, Terry and Tim, no indoor plumbing, but enough laughter and love to fill a mansion. Pete and Earlene moved back onto the family farm in 1955 and were blessed with another daughter, Karen. When Pete’s oldest sister Louise passed away, Pete and Earlene opened their home to the Zang cousins for a time so there were ten children for a time. In 1960, Pete and Earlene were blessed with a daughter, Laurie. Later that same year they felt the pain of loss when their daughter Donna passed away from childhood Leukemia. Pete held sway over the family farm and toiled in the fields and tended the herd for the rest of his life. For a span of fifteen years, in addition to working at the farm, he was mechanic and drove a snow plow for Kane County Highway Department. He retired from the county at age 62. He continued to work on the farm, now alongside his son Terry. He met thousands of sunrises and sunsets and forged his work ethic with each and every one. He never “retired” from farming and continued to “supervise” until his last days.
Pete was a Lectern and faithful member of S.S. Peter & Paul, National Farmers Organization and Cursillo, a Christian movement in which he dedicated countless hours and an unnumbered “words of wisdom”.
Pete lived his life through the motto, “If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.” His faith was unshakable and his work ethic unsinkable. He was a man with large hard working hands, and a heart to match. His smile made you feel at peace the instant you saw him. He knew how to fix just about anything and Pete prided himself on being not only self-reliant, but self-sufficient as well. He was an inventor too! Pete made a check-valve from a rubber ball to keep water from backing up into his home. He also invented an automatic chicken plucker! On the frozen creeks and field ponds of his youth, Pete honed his prowess on a pair of skates perfecting the art of skating backwards. The dinner table was always full of not only family but friends as well; Pete and Earlene’s home was open to all and became a home to Earlene’s sister, Teresa and mother Jennie. Pete was quick to share wisdom, “A weed is a plant out of place”, stories and jokes, “A famer is a man outstanding in his field.” He lovedto make popcorn (home-grown of course) on Friday when the family watched Gomer Pyle and Family Classics. He was also a master at homemade sausage making 200 pounds at a time. When the children were young, he would duck out of prayers during St. Nick’s Day, climbed out the bathroom window, enter the basement, retrieved either a bag of treats or coal (depending on which list the children found themselves on) and as St. Nick, he’d hurl the bag into the dining room to the delight and amazement of the children. They will never forget how one bag smashed a wooden chair, scattering coal all over the living room. Almost as amazing was the fact that the children never caught on that it was actually their dad. In Pete’s younger years he loved to play baseball where he both pitched and played shortstop. Gabby Hartnet from the Cubs came out many times to play alongside them. In later years he spent much time emailing and corresponding with family and friends. He was an avid card player, bowler, and loved to throw the occasional horseshoe. Even after Earlene entered the gates of Heaven, Pete helped others who also had to walk the path of grief. In recent years, Pete made his home at the Holmstad in Batavia where he was part of the Tuesday morning Wood Shop team that build wooden items to sell at their annual Bazaar. There was never a man who gave as much of himself and his heart than Pete. We are all surely poorer for his passing but the legacy he left, left us rich as kings.
He is survived by three sons: Peter “Bud”, Jr. (Jeannine) Petit, Terry Petit, and Tim (Sheila) Petit; two daughters: Karen (Rick) Kramer and Laurie (Rodger) Roberts; Six grandsons: Jonathan (Heather) Petit, Adam Petit , Zachary Petit, Patrick (Kerri Stanke) Petit, Ryan Petit, and Matt (Anna) Kramer; three granddaughters: Clara (Wallie) Einenkel Petit, Emily Petit, and Leigh Kramer; five great-granddaughters: Kelli Petit, Kira Petit, Brianna Petit, Maia Einenkel and Allison Kramer; Four great grandsons: Brody Petit, Henry Einenkel, Micah and Jeremiah Kramer; one sister-in-law Joan Ambre, the Zang nieces and nephews who regarded Pete as a father, and a host of extended family and many friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Michael and Liz Petit, his wife Earlene, a daughter Donna; twelve siblings and their spouses: Frank Petit, Regina Petit, Michael John Petit Jr. and Michael John Petit III, Louise Zang; Carl Petit, Fr. Clement Petit, Julia Dinges, Herman Petit, Sr. Donna Petit O.S.F., Lorraine Miller and Sr. Marie Petit O.S. F.; one daughter-in-law, Sue Petit; and one grandson, Scott Petit.
Visitation will be from 2-8 p.m., Friday, May 17, 2019, at the S.S. Peter & Paul Parish Center, which is located next to S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, 5N939 Meredith Virgil, IL.. A Mass to celebrate his faith will begin at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 18, with a time of visitation from 10-10:45a.m.at S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Church. Interment will follow at S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in Pete’s name to benefit his favorite charities, among them, Covenant Care Hospice. Checks may be made to the “Peter Petit Memorial” and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, 60119. Tributes may also be forwarded to the same address, the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page, or at www.conleycare.com.

A Mass to celebrate his faith will begin at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 18, with a time of visitation from 10-10:45a.m.at S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Church.

Visitation will be from 2-8 p.m., Friday, May 17, 2019, at the S.S. Peter & Paul Parish Center, which is located next to S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, 5N939 Meredith Virgil, IL..

Interment will follow at S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery.

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