Eileen Joan Pettitt, age 86, of Carroll passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 15, 2019 at her home in Carroll surrounded by her family.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, September 19, 2019 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Carroll with Pastor John Schauer officiating. Organist for the service will be Ellen Severin and soloist will be Dina Newsom. Casket bearers will be Ben Pettitt, Nate Pettitt, Wade Pettitt, Kirby Pettitt, Jace Pettitt, Gabe Pettitt, Nic Rizer and Scott Schiefer. Honorary casket bearers will be Virgene Behrens, Helene Stanzyk, Darlene Rueter, Elva Bernholtz, Doris Wilson, Kate Miller, and Marge Reiman. Burial will be in the Carroll City Cemetery.
Friends may call at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll after 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday evening where there will be a prayer service held at 6:30 P.M. The casket will be moved to St. Paul Lutheran Church at 9:30 A.M. on Thursday where visitation will resume until the time of service. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com
In lieu of flowers, per Eileen’s wishes, memorials may be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church and may be left with the funeral home or at the church.
Born on March 26, 1933 on her family’s farm near Meadow Grove, NE. She was the daughter Harold and Erma (Scheer) O’Brien. She grew up in Nebraska and was baptized on April 16, 1933 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Meadow Grove, NE, and confirmed in the Lutheran faith on May 4, 1947 at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Norfolk, NE, by Pastor Daniel Gimble. Eileen graduated from Norfolk High School 1951. Following high school, she worked for the Civil Service as a secretary in Lincoln, NE. She was married to Delbert “Deb” Pettitt on December 7, 1952 at Mt. Olive Church in Norfolk by Pastor B. Meschke. The couple made their home on a farm near Meadow Grove where Deb farmed and had several jobs at which Eileen worked alongside him. Deb and Eileen moved to Carroll in 1965 and purchased the Carroll Bowl which they operated until 1968. They then purchased the Lil’ Duffer Restaurant and operated it for several years. In 1969, they built Robo Car Wash which is currently owned and operated by their son Todd. Eileen was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Carroll where she served on the church guild and altar committee for many years. Eileen loved SPORTS and following her children and grandchildren in all their activities. She also enjoyed gardening, cross word puzzles, board games, cards, bowling, golfing, going to their cabin in Lake View, and Facebook.
Eileen is survived by a daughter Sue Marquardt (Jeff) of Carroll; a son Todd Pettitt (Pam) of Carroll; fifteen grandchildren: Tricia, Ben, April, Tiff, Nate, Brandy, Wade, Kirby, Kristen, Sara, Jill, Jace, Josie, Gabe, and Grace; twenty three great-grandchildren; Cameron, Kiara, Zach, Hannah, Caleb, Allison, Calvin, Camille, Emma, Tate, Corbin, Rebecca, Hayden, Dominic, Cambria, Brooklyn, Isaac, Roman, Addisyn, Mallory, Matthew, Blaire, and Adryan; two brothers: Denny O’Brien (Shirley) of Warsaw, MO, and Doug O’Brien of Omaha, NE; a sister-in-law Arlein Anderson (Orville) of Hoskins, NE; and many nieces and nephews.
Eileen was preceded in death by her parents Harold and Erma O’Brien; her in-laws Roy and Elsie Pettitt; and her son Bruce Pettitt in 2012.
