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By Jim Freeman
LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – Well, this wasn’t quite the way I planned to feature Bud Petitt today on Veterans Day. When I spoke with the World War II veteran’s daughters, Edna Blevins and Judy Gooding, on Tuesday afternoon, Judy said, “I guess his passing is rather fitting given that tomorrow is Veterans Day.”
Campbell County native and WWII veteran Edward “Bud” Petitt passed away peacefully at his home in east La Follette about 3:30 pm yesterday. Edna said, “He’d been a little sick lately, and we had come to see him.”
The love of his life, Camilla, passed away in the summer of 2013. Here’s how Bud described to me upon first seeing Camilla – “When she got on the bus, I said YES.” That’s when Petitt first laid eyes on Camilla Baltimore. She and her family had moved to Westbourne from Fentress County. They were on their way to Wynn High School that day. Bud was a junior and Camilla was a sophomore. They were married for 71 years.
Petitt was already enlisted when World War II broke out. He spent five-years in the U-S Army with the 10th Armored Division and 20th Infantry and was a machine gun platoon sergeant. His travels took him to England, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, and Normandy, France.
CLICK HERE to listen in on WLAF’s interview with Bud Petitt from July 2018. Related stories of Bud Petitt are found HERE.
Judy described her father as a “great guy.” You may be hard pressed to find anyone who would argue that.
Bud told me a few times over the years “I’ve lived a great life.” Judy echoed that saying that “I’ve heard him say that many times over the years.”
Cross-Smith Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.
Edward “Bud” Petitt was 99- years old. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 11/11/2020-6AM)