Elsie J. Petty

Elsie J. Petty of Peabody, formerly of Lexington, passed away peacefully at age 99 on July 1, 2024 following a brief illness.

Elsie was born in 1924 in Duluth, MN, the first of four children of Frank and Elsie (Borden) Gallagher. The family soon moved to the Washington, DC area, where Elsie spent her early years. During and immediately after World War II, she worked as a typesetter for Washington’s leading newspaper at the time, the Evening Star. She was admitted to the International Typographical Union, an extremely rare occurrence at a time when women were routinely excluded from men-only occupations. In 1951 she met and married Charles C. Petty, who became her husband of 69 years, and the couple relocated to Baltimore where Chuck completed his doctoral studies at Johns Hopkins University and Elsie worked at the Baltimore Sun.

In 1956, following the completion of Chuck’s PhD degree, the Pettys moved to the Boston area where he took a position in scientific research, and in 1961 the couple, with their three sons, settled in Lexington where Elsie and Chuck resided until recently when they moved to a senior living facility in Peabody. When her sons entered high school, Elsie returned to the workforce, completing her career in editing and production for the publishing department of the Cambridge research and consulting firm Arthur D. Little.

For Elsie, family and community were always her main occupations. Whether as a spouse, a parent, a teacher, or volunteer, she set the highest standards for personal conduct and concern for the needs of others. Her greatest joys were the lifelong bonds she nurtured among her sons, their spouses, her grandchildren and extended family.

At various times Elsie participated in Lexington politics and was active in the League of Women Voters, especially at a time when an attempt was made to institute a recycling program for the town. Fulfilling a lifelong interest in art, she enrolled in oil and acrylic painting classes at the Lexington Arts & Crafts Society, participating in several shows and as an active volunteer. As an avid reader and lifelong learner Elsie was for many years a member of the Bedford-Lexington Great Books discussion group. She was a longtime member of First Parish Church in Lexington and volunteered in many capacities, including as president of the two women’s groups, chair of several committees, and member of the governing Council. In addition to art and literature, she enjoyed travel, vacations on Cape Cod, and entertaining family, friends and many out-of-town guests.

Elsie was predeceased in 2021 by her husband Chuck. She is survived by sons David (Lucy Patton) of Cambridge, Alan (Deirdre Sweeney) of Worcester, and Wayne (Judith) of Michigan, plus grandchildren Daniel Petty of Cambridge and Charlotte Petty (Nick Alakel) of Cambridge. A celebration of her life will be held at a future date.