Virgil Petry

The heavenly choir has gained another tenor, passionate and yearning, finally free of earthly frailties and constraint, to sing forever and ever. And the eternal ivory keys will ripple with lilting melodies and inspiring chord progressions. Virgil E. Petry died Thursday, September 11, 2008, his bright, inquisitive mind disconnected by Alzheimer's and his body disabled by renal and heart problems. Virgil was born September 9, 1919, on the family farm south of Richmond on the State Line Road. He was the second son of Isaiah and Sarah Petry. He graduated from Jackson High School in Preble County and worked several years in retail sales for Montgomery Ward and Holthouse Furniture. From 1943 until his retirement in 1985 he worked for NATCO in the Engineering Department. For many years there he designed standards and tolerances for gears, screw threads, and tool spindles. For another ten years he wrote operating manuals for the machines NATCO manufactured, and finally he wrote computer programs when BASIC and FORTRAN were the vernacular of the industry. The precision required by this work fit Virgil's personality like a second skin; his middle name was exactitude. His devotion to detail was almost too much even for NATCO, not to mention the rest of us. He loved math and logic problems, and his writing assignments led to a similar preoccupation with language and words. But his great love was music, primarily classical and sacred. He had a few piano lessons as a boy, then practiced for hours and was essentially self-taught. In his teens he became pianist for the Richmond Church of the Brethren and remained at the piano and organ there until only a few years ago. He sang with the community chorus at Earlham for a while and served on the Board of Directors of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra from 1973-79. In 1942 he married Echo Baker; they had two girls. His compulsion to document, verify, and keep records of everything tested her patience; her interest in Longfellow and the color coordination of drapes and carpets were a mystery to him. He always said her cooking was best. They needed each other. Virgil and Echo were lifelong members of the Church of the Brethren. At various times Virgil served as deacon, board chairman, and moderator for the Richmond congregation. He also trimmed the trees, oversaw building maintenance, and pinch-hit as treasurer when needed. After his retirement, he grew hardy tomatoes and beans, watched the birds in the backyard, and diddled in the garage. In 2005 Virgil and Echo moved from their home of 52 years into Friends Fellowship Community, "the hardest thing we've ever done," said Echo. Echo died in 2006. Virgil will be missed most by his daughters, Sherry Petry and partner John Johanning, Atlanta, Georgia, and Pamela and Morris Tubesing, Lilburn, Georgia. Virgil has two grandchildren, Christen Warner and her husband Steve and Mark Tubesing and his wife Katy, and six great-grandchildren, all of Atlanta. His brother Willis died in 2006. Visitation for Virgil E. Petry will be from 4:30-8:30 p.m. Monday, September 15, 2008, at Doan & Mills Funeral Home, 790 National Road W., Richmond. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, September 16, 2008, at the Richmond Church of the Brethren, 1 S.W. 17th St., Richmond. Friends and family are invited to his burial Wednesday 10:30 a.m. in Spring Lawn Cemetery, New Paris, Ohio. Those wishing to honor Virgil's life may send contributions to the Wayne County Foundation, 33 S. 7th St., Suite 1, Richmond, In 47374, which supports projects that improve the quality of life in the community where Virgil spent all her adult life.

Virgil Petry

September 9, 1919 - September 11, 2008