1935
Mrs.
2009
Mrs. Mary Petty
November 11, 1935 — March 1, 2009
Mary F. Petty, age 73, of Overland Park, Kanas, died peacefully at home on March 1, 2009. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 A.M., Thursday, March 5, 2009 at D.W. Newcomer’s Sons Johnson County Chapel, 11200 Metcalf, Overland Park. Visitation will be held the evening prior from 6-8 P.M. at D.W. Newcomer’s Sons Overland Park Chapel, 8201 Metcalf. Burial in Johnson County Memorial Gardens. Fond memories and condolences for the family may be left at www.dwnewcomers.com.
The second child of Frank and Mabel Hoss, Mary was born November 11,1935 on the family dairy farm north of Lakin, Kansas. Mary graduated from Lakin High School in 1953 and – with her heart set on a career in music – enrolled soon thereafter at Fort Hays State. In her first year at Fort Hays, Mary met and married Don Petty, a fellow music student who became – in Mary’s words – “the best husband in the world.”
Mary left school to support the family in 1955 while Don finished his degree in music education. Though Mary never pursued a career in music, she and Don shared a lifelong love of parades, marching bands, school productions and music education. Mary and Don had 30 wonderful years before Don’s untimely death in 1985, and they had four children of whom they were immensely proud: Richard, Debbie, Jeri and Russ. Mary also took special joy in her two grandchildren, Kat and Jake Petty.
Mary took business and secretarial classes at college, and she launched an early secretarial career by working from home, typing a doctoral dissertation for the head of the music department at Fort Hays. Don and Mary spent the early years of their marriage in Garfield and Great Bend, where Don taught music and Mary worked as a secretary and later as an office manager. She had tremendous administrative gifts and in 1965, after the family moved to Johnson County, Mary took a position with the law firm of Eugene Hackler and John Anderson, Jr. John Anderson had joined the firm following his second term as Governor of Kansas, and Mary enjoyed a valued friendship and working relationship with him for seven years.
In early 1972, Mary left the law firm to become a judicial administrator for the United States District Court for the District of Kansas – a position which she would hold for 28 years. Mary worked with the United States District Judge Earl E. O’Connor for 26 of those years, until his death in 1998, and later with the United States District Judge Carlos Murguia. During those three decades, Mary was the consummate public servant. She took great pride in the federal judiciary and in doing her part to making sure that it was well run and deserving of public respect. Mary had a special relationship with the attorneys who practiced in federal court but the extended “court family” – from judicial chambers to court reporters, federal marshals, public defenders and staff in the clerk’s office, probation office, United States Attorney’s office and more – was near and dear to her heart. Mary was especially fond of the 31 law clerks (28 of Judge O’Connor’s and three of Judge Murguia’s) who knew her as “Mother Petty.” Long before “mentoring” was a business-school catchword, Mary schooled each of the 31 new law clerks in the life of the law and the ways of the Third Branch – sometimes uplifting and sometimes humbling them but always encouraging and modeling a work ethic and professional discipline which would serve them well in later years. Mary loved her work and over the course of her 28 years with the court, she became an icon in the federal courthouse in Kansas City, Kansas.
Mary is survived by her son Richard Petty and his wife Karen; daughter Debbie Carter and her husband Keith; daughter Jeri Petty and long time companion Brad Meyer; and son Russ Petty, his wife Kim and their children, Kat and Jake.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Special Olympics Kansas, 5280 Foxridge Drive, Mission KS 66202.
Arrangements: D.W. Newcomer’s Sons Johnson County Chapel. 913-451-1860.
The second child of Frank and Mabel Hoss, Mary was born November 11,1935 on the family dairy farm north of Lakin, Kansas. Mary graduated from Lakin High School in 1953 and – with her heart set on a career in music – enrolled soon thereafter at Fort Hays State. In her first year at Fort Hays, Mary met and married Don Petty, a fellow music student who became – in Mary’s words – “the best husband in the world.”
Mary left school to support the family in 1955 while Don finished his degree in music education. Though Mary never pursued a career in music, she and Don shared a lifelong love of parades, marching bands, school productions and music education. Mary and Don had 30 wonderful years before Don’s untimely death in 1985, and they had four children of whom they were immensely proud: Richard, Debbie, Jeri and Russ. Mary also took special joy in her two grandchildren, Kat and Jake Petty.
Mary took business and secretarial classes at college, and she launched an early secretarial career by working from home, typing a doctoral dissertation for the head of the music department at Fort Hays. Don and Mary spent the early years of their marriage in Garfield and Great Bend, where Don taught music and Mary worked as a secretary and later as an office manager. She had tremendous administrative gifts and in 1965, after the family moved to Johnson County, Mary took a position with the law firm of Eugene Hackler and John Anderson, Jr. John Anderson had joined the firm following his second term as Governor of Kansas, and Mary enjoyed a valued friendship and working relationship with him for seven years.
In early 1972, Mary left the law firm to become a judicial administrator for the United States District Court for the District of Kansas – a position which she would hold for 28 years. Mary worked with the United States District Judge Earl E. O’Connor for 26 of those years, until his death in 1998, and later with the United States District Judge Carlos Murguia. During those three decades, Mary was the consummate public servant. She took great pride in the federal judiciary and in doing her part to making sure that it was well run and deserving of public respect. Mary had a special relationship with the attorneys who practiced in federal court but the extended “court family” – from judicial chambers to court reporters, federal marshals, public defenders and staff in the clerk’s office, probation office, United States Attorney’s office and more – was near and dear to her heart. Mary was especially fond of the 31 law clerks (28 of Judge O’Connor’s and three of Judge Murguia’s) who knew her as “Mother Petty.” Long before “mentoring” was a business-school catchword, Mary schooled each of the 31 new law clerks in the life of the law and the ways of the Third Branch – sometimes uplifting and sometimes humbling them but always encouraging and modeling a work ethic and professional discipline which would serve them well in later years. Mary loved her work and over the course of her 28 years with the court, she became an icon in the federal courthouse in Kansas City, Kansas.
Mary is survived by her son Richard Petty and his wife Karen; daughter Debbie Carter and her husband Keith; daughter Jeri Petty and long time companion Brad Meyer; and son Russ Petty, his wife Kim and their children, Kat and Jake.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Special Olympics Kansas, 5280 Foxridge Drive, Mission KS 66202.
Arrangements: D.W. Newcomer’s Sons Johnson County Chapel. 913-451-1860.
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