Funeral services will be held Thursday, January 22, 2009 at 2p.m. at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection for Ruth Agricola Jordan Petri who died on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. Born on April 14, 1920 at her grandparents' home on Turrentine Avenue, Mrs. Petri was the daughter of Thomas Gary Jordan, Sr. and Ruth Agricola Jordan. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Edwin Andrew Petri and her brother, Thomas Gary Jordan, Jr. For most of her life and to most of her friends, she was known as "Pie". Mrs. Petri was a graduate of Gadsden High School in 1936 and later attended Saint Mary's School, Arlington Hall and Sargent School of Boston University. With the onset of World War II, she returned home to run the family business, the Gadsden Ice and Fuel Company, while her brother was away at war. It was during this time that she met her husband, Pete, who was stationed at Camp Sibert. For a brief time after their marriage, they lived in Texas City, Texas and survived the catastrophic explosion there in 1947. Her tales of this disaster kept her family enthralled for years. The young couple returned to Gadsden with a new baby in 1948 when her husband became president of the A & J Manufacturing Company. It was during those years that Pie began to hone her golfing skills which led to golf matches at the state level. Ironically despite all her years on the links her two holes - in - one came when she was over seventy years of age. She also found time at this point in her life to help start the kindergarten which would become the Episcopal Day School. When her husband died, Mrs. Petri was left to raise three daughters, Pudden, Poppy and Pam. Faced with this daunting task; she embarked on a new career in education. Upon graduation from Jacksonville State College, she taught at the elementary level at the Episcopal Day School and Eura Brown Elementary School. After completing advanced degrees at Jacksonville State College and the University of Alabama, Mrs. Petri served as guidance counselor at Litchfield Junior High School and principal of J.L. Wagner Elementary School and W.E. Striplin Elementary School. One of her proudest accomplishments was to be a founding member of the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection which she served as both junior and senior warden. She was a former board member of Riverview Hospital and the first female board member of the Gadsden Country Club. Mrs. Petri was also a past president of the Mystery Ball Club and a sustaining member of the Gadsden Service Guild. She is survived by her daughters, Jordan Petri McArthur and husband, James Vernor McArthur II; Jean Petri Beasley and husband, Charles Alvin Beasley, Jr.; and Pamela Petri; granddaughters, Katherine Beasley Wills and husband, Robert Alan Wills, Jr.; and Mary Jordan Beasley; great-grandson, Robert Alan Wills III; sister-in-law, Henrietta Rowe Jordan; first cousin, Joyce Agricola Parker; nieces, Katherine Jordan Barksdale, Mildred Jordan McGuire and Juli Gari Jordan. Pallbearers for the funeral are Wesley Acee, John D. Agricola, Gregory Bennett, David Cummans, Shephard Midgley, John Rhodes, Nicholas Rogers, Robert Welch, John Wetzel and Roberts Wills, Jr.; Honorary pallbearers are Alan Berman, Robert Echols, Merlin Hagedorn, Lewis Mitchell, Michael McLendon, Horace Porter and James Turnback. The family would like to thank caregivers, Donna Richey, Wanda Finley, Nettie Hooks and Teresa Wilson. Our sincerest gratitude goes to Dr. Thomas Corley and his staff. We also wish to thank our wonderful friends who have sustained us their love and support. Visitation will be held at the parish house of the Church of the Resurrection on Thursday, January 22, 2009 from noon to 2:00p.m. prior to the service. The service will be officiated by Reverend Van Foreman. Burial will follow at Forrest Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, 113 Brown Avenue, Rainbow City, Alabama 35906 or Immanuel Episcopal Church, 700 McMillan Avenue, Bay Minette, Alabama 36507. Collier-Butler Funeral Home will handle the funeral arrangements.
Published in the Press-Register, Mobile, Alabama on 1/22/2009