Frank R. Pettit

October 1, 1932 to April 26, 2017

Beloved husband to Kathy for 60 years, caring father to Christine, Ken, Glenn and Brett (deceased January 24, 2017), grandfather to Christopher and Corey Braverman, Kyle, Michaela and Samy Pettit and great grandfather to Destiny and Devin.

He was born in Ozone Park, NY and raised in Amityville, Long Island, NY. After marriage, he lived in North Brentwood, Lake Ronkonkoma, L.I., NY and retired to Longs, SC in 1996.

He joined the U.S. Navy at the age of 19 and proudly served as a Gunner’s Mate on the USS Douglas H. Fox (destroyer). He served during the Korean Conflict from 1951 to 1955. He loved the ocean and the Navy.

Frank was a Movie Projectionist for almost 30 years and operated many movie theaters, The Larkfield, Bayshore Drive-in, Plainview Patchogue, Westbury and his main theater, where he controlled 13 movies under one roof, the Squire Theater in Great Neck, L.I. NY.

Frank loved life, his children and grands, his longtime devoted friends, neighbors, his dogs over the years, cruising, vacations and a little blackjack. We went often to Atlantic City, Las Vegas, etc. to “visit our money” that we left there.

Everyone loved and enjoyed Frank and his gentle, caring, helpful ways. He truly was a great guy.

He had major medical problems over the years. Removal of his prostate due to cancer, several facial and skin cancers, heart surgery, kidney failure, diabetes and uncontrollable blood pressure.

Recently he was on life support, for days, in the hospital and surprisingly was able to breathe on his own. He was on a feeding tube because of esophageal cancer, which made it impossible to take liquid or anything by mouth. He had to exist on the feeding tube.

Through all of the above, he never complained. He was a trooper and a fighter with a very strong will to live. He surprised all of his specialist doctors with his strength and determination. He was very “SPECIAL”.

Frank, we will Always Love and Miss You with all our hearts.

We are grateful that that he is with our son, Brett, his parents, Esther and Frank, Sr., and all those who have patiently waited to welcome him on the other side. He has no more pain, thirst, hunger, anxiety or problems.

. . . . . Our Loss is Heaven’s Gain . . . . .