Robert Petty

Robert “Bob” Petty, 81, of Chesapeake, Virginia went home peacefully and beautifully on Friday, February 7, 2025. He was surrounded by his family who were holding his hands, lifting him up in prayer, and singing songs of love and praise. At that very moment of passing, he reunited with his big brother, Raymond, who was tragically killed at age 9 in 1951. There is no doubt that Bob’s parents, grandparents, parents-in-love, aunts, uncles, and cousins were also all there to celebrate his arrival. Bob was born on January 21, 1944 to Gene and Clara Belle Petty in Louisville, Kentucky. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Carol Petty; his favorite daughters, Teresa Kristek (Michael, Sr.) and Leigh “Alex” Hogge (Charles); four grandchildren onto which Bob poured constant love and wisdom, Michael Kristek, Jr., Violet Kristek (his favorite granddaughter), Peter Kristek, and Landon Hogge; younger brother Richard Petty (Marty) of Bountiful, Utah; and many beloved nieces and nephews. Bob graduated from the Kentucky School of Mortuary Science in 1968. He served as a Funeral Director/Embalmer and Preneed Counselor for many funeral homes across Virginia. Bob was also a senior firefighter, EMT, and Arson Investigator for Henrico Division of Fire. He was a professional photographer specializing in weddings, portraits, and commercial photography. For several years, he had his own handyman business before opening AtWood’s Cabinet Shop in South Hill, Virginia. Bob obtained certification in Death & Grief Studies from the Center for Loss and Life Transition in Fort Collins, Colorado and earned a diploma in Biblical Counseling from Light University. He founded and conducted Camp Hope for grieving children for the Virginia Funeral Directors Association and served people suffering from cancer at Lee’s Friends in Norfolk, Virginia. Bob was ordained as a minister at Calvary Baptist Church in Emporia, Virginia, before becoming a Board-Certified Crisis Response Chaplain and serving as police chaplain for the Chesapeake Police Department. In his own words, Bob life’s work was as a Funeral Director and Embalmer with his identified achievements and awards being, “the blessings received from being in the position to help many people in a number of ways during very difficult times in their lives.”His hobbies included fishing, hunting, camping, painting, and woodworking. Bob had a beautiful bass voice and loved classic hymns, spiritual music, and a good bagpiper. Visitation will be Sunday, February 9th, 2025 from 6-8pm at H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments Cedar Road location in Chesapeake, Virginia, The family will also receive friends on Monday, February 10th, 2025 from 6-8pm at the Clarke Funeral Home, 110 E. Fifth Avenue, Kenbridge, Va. 23944. Funeral Services will be held 11am Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at the Ephesus Baptist Church, 1642 Smith Cross Rd., South Hill, VA 23970.    Interment to follow in the church Cemetery.