Obituary of Reverend Violet Petso

Reverend Violet L. Petso, 93, of Morgantown, a well known Methodist Minister in this area for many years, passed away Sunday evening, December 22, 2013 at Conchetta's Personal Care Home of Fairmont, WV. Rev. Petso was born in Ashe County, NC on September 19, 1920, a daughter of the late John Gaither Parsons and the late Jettia Anna (Pearson) Parsons. She was a graduate of Morgantown High School, West Virginia University and the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary where she received her Master's Degree in Divinity. Rev. Petso served as the Senior Pastor of Avery United Methodist Church in Morgantown for 12 years, and from 1991-1994 served as an Associate Pastor at Wesley United Methodist Church, where she still was a member. She was a member of the Morgantown Chapter 35 Order of the Eastern Star, Golden K Kiwanis Club, the Morgantown Soroptimist Club, the Easton-Avery Community Education Organization, and the Monongalia County Senior Citizens. She also held life memberships in the WV Congress of Parents and Teachers, Monongalia General Hospital Auxiliary, and the Scott's Run Settlement House Auxiliary. She was one of the founders of the Monongalia County Meals on Wheels Program. Rev. Petso received the Distinguished Service Award from the Morgantown Jaycees in 1978, and in 2007 was presented with a proclamation from the Governor of WV through Avery United Methodist Church. Along with her late husband, she was important in the revitalization of the Scott's Run Settlement House. Survivors include her son, Richard "Dick" Petso and his wife Darlene of Boise, ID; her daughter, Janice Doughtery and her husband Holden of Brockport, NY; four grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; one brother Franklin D. Parsons of North Carolina two sisters, Dorothy M. Lauchner of St. Petersburg, VA and Betty Shook of Hickory, NC; and a sister-in-law, Anna Trompak of Morgantown. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Petso on September 20, 1994; and siblings John Parsons, Roscoe Parsons, Ernest Parsons, Ann Cain, and Howard J. Feathers Reverend Petso will lie in repose at Wesley United Methodist Church, 503 High St., Morgantown, WV on Friday, December 27 from 11 AM - 1 PM. The funeral service will be held at 1 PM Friday afternoon with Reverend Michael Q. Atkinson officiating. She will be laid to rest next to her husband in Beverly Hills Memorial Gardens, Westover. Contributions in Rev. Petso's name may be made to either Wesley United Methodist Church, 503 High St., Morgantown, WV 26505 or to Scott's Run Settlement House P.O. Box 590, Pursglove, WV 26546 The family of Rev. Petso would like to express their sincerest gratitude to everyone who has helped with her care in the last few years - including, but not limited to, Gay, Jim and Carol, the Staff of Heritage Point, Sundale Nursing Home and Tony Iaquinta of Conchetta's Personal Care Home of Fairmont. Hastings Funeral Home of Morgantown is assisting the family with the arrangements. Send condolences online at www.hastingsfuneralhome.com.