Robert M.D. Jr.

Pettus, Jr., Robert L. MD, age 86 of Madison, TN., March 24, 2011. Born August 23, 1924 in Nashville, TN, son of Robert Leo Pettus and Annie Calhoun Pettus. He was baptized at Grace Avenue Church of Christ in May of 1939 by Roy Lanier. He attended Nashville public schools and David Lipscomb College in 1942, Vanderbilt University in 1943, 1946-1948 Graduated with A.B. Degree. Attended University of Tennessee School of Medicine from Sept. 1948 – Dec. 1951 where he received his Doctor of Medicine Degree. He was elected to the Honor Pre-med Society at Vanderbilt University and elected to the Honor Medical Society at the University Of Tennessee School Of Medicine, Alpha Omega Alpha. He enlisted in the Reserve Corp. from Nov. 1942 – Sept. 1943 and was on active duty in the U.S. Army Sept. 1943 – April 1946. He served in the U.S., England, France, Belgium and Germany in the 1265th Combat Engineers, as an Engineer and as a Medic. He entered private practice in Orlinda, TN. from April 1953 till April 1954. He practiced industrial medicine at the Union Carbide Nuclear Co. in Oak Ridge, TN. April 1954 till Dec. 1955. He moved to Madison, TN and began practice Jan. 1, 1956 and was one of the founders of the Nashville Memorial Hospital and served on the Board of Directors until it opened for patients. He started work to establish the East Nashville Christian School from the first fund raising campaign and served on the board from 1967 until 1982. The name was changed to the Goodpasture Christian School. He was chairman of Madison Church of Christ Children's Home for 28 years and began teaching an adult bible class in March 1956 for a group of teenage married couples continuously until the composition of the class changed. He served as a Deacon of the Madison Church of Christ since the early 1960's. He is survived by his wife of 61 years Juanita Richardson Pettus, children; Robert Leo Pettus, III, Shauna Luann Pettus and Stephen Richardson Pettus. His family will receive friends from 2-5pm on Sunday, March 27 at Hendersonville Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted at 2pm on Monday, March 28 from the chapel of Hendersonville Funeral Home with Norman Slate and Mike Tidwell. Honorary Pallbearers will be the members of the Neelys Bend Church of Christ. Active pallbearers will include Gordon Lawrence, Jeffrey Lawrence MD, Merle Short, Ottis Pilkington, Woody Harris, Bill Rucker, Eric Rucker and Steve Pilkington. Interment will be in Hendersonville Memory Gardens. In lieu of flowers donations should be sent to the Neelys Bend Church of Christ. HENDERSONVILLE MEMORY GARDENS AND FUNERAL HOME 824-3855