William J. Pettengill

Sheriff William John Pettengill, 92, died Sunday, March 14, 2010 in his home.

He was born February 9, 1918 in Port Huron. He married Marjorie L. Ford on October 14, 1950 at St. Stephens Rectory in Port Huron.

Bill was a graduate of Port Huron High School. He served in the U.S. Army Military Police during WWII and also during the Korean War. Bill served as a City Constable in 1953 and was re-elected in 1955. He was then elected Sheriff of St. Clair County and served from 1956-1969. During his tenure as Sheriff, he organized the St. Clair County Posse Association; initiated the Marine Patrol Unit; created the Juvenile Department and helped organize the first March of Dimes Jail and Bail Program. He then served as the St. Clair County District Court Administrator from 1970-1983.

He was a member of the VFW Post 796 and served as a past District Commander; American Legion, Post 8; St. Marys Church and the Fort Gratiot Lions Club of which he was past President and past Deputy District Governor and was a recipient of the Melvin Jones Award of Lions International. He was also a past member of the St. Clair County Board of Auditors and past chairman of the St. Clair County Building Authority; Past President of the Eastern Michigan Law Association; Member of the State Sheriffs Association; past board member of the St. Clair County United Way and past board member of the Boy Scouts of America.

He is survived by his wife Marjorie; daughter Kathy Scott of Jeddo; son Stephen (Patty) Pettengill of Macomb; grandchildren, Deanna (Jon) Sanabria of Christiana, TN and Grant Scott, III of Jeddo; great grandson Austin Sanabria and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son-in-law Grant Scott, II and his siblings, Norman, Stanley and Gerald Pettengill, Mary Britz and Virginia Gragowski Appleford.

Funeral Mass will be 10 a.m. Friday at St. Marys Church. The Rev. Zbigniew Zomerfeld will officiate. Burial will follow in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Military rites will be under the direction of the St. Clair County Allied Veterans Council.

Visiting hours are 2-4 & 6-9 p.m. Thursday at Karrer-Simpson Funeral Home and 9 a.m. until the service time Friday at church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Blue Water Hospice, Visiting Nurses or St. Marys Church