Gina Marie Petty

Gina Marie (Haywood) Andrews Petty, 63, of Westfield, IN passed away July 23, 2018. She was born in Vincennes, IN November 17, 1954. Gina was a graduate of Vincennes H.S. and attended classes at the University of Indianapolis. Gina was most recently employed at About Special Kids, ASK. She was preceded in death by her parents, Victor F. Haywood and Freda M. Pendleton Haywood Wilkes; step-father, M. Dale Wilkes; first husband, Mark A. Andrews, Mother-In-Law, Carol E. Petty and sister-in-law, Paula E. Petty Pierson. Gina is survived by her husband, Richard E. Petty; her children; Laura L. Andrews Sorrells and Amber R. Andrews and her fiancé, Danny J. Murphy; grandchildren, Jacob Daniel Crocker and his wife Chelsea of Paragon, IN, Brookelynn Nicole Wetzel and her husband Billie Jack of Indianapolis, IN and Justice A. Beswick; great-grandchildren, Jeramiah, Maylee Shey and Jazilyn Belle Wetzel, Torrie Marie and Jacob Daniel Amadeus Crocker; sisters, Linda C. Haywood Fox and her husband Dick, and Vicki L. Haywood DeWitt Phelan and her husband John of Plainfield; and her brother Rodney M. Haywood and his wife, Lyd of New Albany, IN; Father-In-Law, Paul E. Petty of Indianapolis, IN; Sister-In-Laws, Denise E. Petty Patrick and her husband Michael of Indianapolis and Brenda E. Petty Hanson John of Dunedin, FL A Celebration of Gina’s life will be held on Saturday, July 28, 2018 at 12:00 Noon at Little and Sons Funeral Home, 1301 Main Street, Beech Grove, IN. Visitation will be from 10 am until the service time at the funeral home. Burial will be in Westridge Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to: About Special Kids (ASK), 7172 Graham Rd. Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46250 A Tribute to Gina Marie The following remarks are for my beautiful wife Gina. And to all of you here - family, dear friends, co-workers and aquiantenaces; Thank you for coming to celebrate Gina’s life. If you knew her well you know these things are true: - Gina was beautiful both physically, and in spirit and soul, and oh that sweet smile. - Gina was most kind, gentle, caring, giving, and humble. She was very slow to anger and would forgive at the speed of light. - If you actually made her angry, you can be sure you were well over the line most of us would draw. I believe I made her angry once in our 17 years together; OK, maybe 3 times. I know for a fact that she chose to forgive behavior by others that even our system of justice would not let go unpunished. She was the most perfect human example of Christ like forgiveness I have ever seen. - Gina was always more concerned for you, than for herself -- Even as she was dying - after we prayed for her comfort and relief from pain for that night, she would continue to pray for sometimes up to an hour. I know this is true because as I sat down to rest a little I would hear her on the baby monitor, or as I preferred to call it, the monitor for my baby. She first continued to pray for relief from the pain and then prayed for all of us. Her prayer for us was that after she passed, all of us would know and trust the Lord as she did. She also prayed that when our time came, we would not suffer as she had. All so, very typically Gina. If you knew both of us well, you also know the following is true: - Prior to us meeting, we both had difficult lives, as many or even most have. The circumstances of our chance meeting were very unlikely and quite unique. By any text book assessment, the odds of our relationship surviving long term, much less thriving, would have been incredibly slim. Some things are simply meant to be, or stated in more precise language, pre-ordained by the Almighty. - We were different in some ways, but we were also accepting of those differences; we used them to learn from each other. When I reflect on it now, I realize most were due to the natural roles we were created to fill. It is exceedingly true, we became stronger as individuals when we became one. If you knew us well, you also know we loved each other very deeply. We cherished and adored each other, and we were nearly inseparable. To many that may all sound like just a bit ‘too much’. I ‘understand’ that given this confused, crazy, and lost ‘modern’ society we live in. Some of those same people, from their vantage point, might say it was even an ‘unhelathly’ relationship. But for us - we knew, loved, valued, and appreciated what we had been given. Gina was a traditional, conservative, and most of all a Godly woman. She believed no human designed ‘enhancements’ were needed in order to ‘improve’ on what God created and ordained. She was indeed what God intended a wife/mate to be. All of these traits made it very easy to be in the committed relationship we shared. These same traits also made her just one classy lady. My purpose in re-counting all of this is to honor Gina, so that if you did not know her well, you may understand what a gift she was, to not just me, but every part of the world she touched. I will always be grateful for my 17 years with her, clearly the best years of my life. I don’t think anyone who viewed her photos could have missed it; but as a testament to Gina’s strength, character and nature; she never lost her ability to smile, even as she was suffering. Lord, give us all the strength to be like her. The passing of a loved one is always difficult, but in Gina’s case the question of ‘why’ appears to have no reasonable answer. As the song we heard earlier said, for those who love the Lord, ‘Further Along We Will Know All About It’. Until then, I will choose to believe the following: And so it came to pass, there was an urgent need to fill a critical position within the Heavenly Angel Corp. After a careful review of the skill set of all possible candidates, Gina was deemed most qualified. Difficult to image Heaven needed her more than we did, but it must be so. Heaven’s gain became our pain for now. Very shortly after this transaction between heaven and earth, the Dark-Side Media Association loudly and proudly proclaimed the following – ‘Satan Scores Unexpected Win by Taking Down Gina Marie, One of God’s Very Best Is No Longer’. Now, Gina would have immediately recognized this headline as what is called, ‘Fake News’. In typical fashion it is a half truth and does not tell the full story. Either the proper analysis was not completed in order to reach the correct conclusion, or it was designed to intentionally deceive. I never shy away from giving Satan recognition for his deeds. So, it is true, he did kill Gina. But properly written, the headline above would read as follows: Satan Unwittingly Provides Gina With Golden Parachette! Her Prior Preparation Enables Her To Make A Soft Landing in Paradise For All of Eternity. There is a very stark difference in the reality these two headlines present. Again, I choose to believe the later report, it would be the report of our Lord. If you did not know her well, I think by now you can envision the picture I am painting. It is indeed a picture of something that sounds too good to be true; and so you could easily conclude I am simply exaggerating. However, I am confident if you were to speak to others who truly knew her, they will confirm my accounting of Gina’s nature. I believe I could find as many witnesses as needed to convince you it is so. Now to close I need to say to all of you, and most loudly and especially to myself - Try to dry your tears, we are weeping for ourselves and our loss. Rejoice in knowing Gina is free from pain and suffering. And know that she is dancing and singing with the Angles she so loved while on earth. She is rejoicing in Glory where she so rightfully belongs. And when that moment arrives during heavenly praise, she will joyfully toss her crown at the feet of her Lord as she falls to her knees and then on her face. I am certain her crown will make a very loud noise when it hits the golden pavement; you see it will be will be filled with many jewels. It will be a glorious crown indeed, and she will use it for its intended purpose. She will give it with praise to her Lord. So I pray - Lord give me, and everyone who loved her the peace, comfort, and understanding you already know we need. We ask this in the precious name of our Lord Jesus, our Anointed Holy Saviour. Let it be so. Written by her husband Richard, Aided by the Precious Holy Spirit, and Inspired by Gina herself. With Love Gina, Richard