Margaret Adams Petty

Margaret Adams Petty passed away peacefully in her Twin Falls home Saturday morning, February 13, 2016, at age 91, after battling cancer. 

The third of nine children, Margaret was born September 10, 1924, in Manassa, Colorado, to Daniel Stanley Adams and Linda Kartchner Adams. She had a compassionate heart, a contagious enthusiasm for life, and a penchant for finding and standing up for the underdog. People naturally loved her, because she so easily loved them. 

Margaret was a hard-working student who graduated at the top of her class and went on to study home economics at Brigham Young University. As a skilled telegraph operator, she put herself through college and provided income in her early married life.

Margaret and Wendell Petty were married April 8, 1943. Their marriage was sealed in the Manti Utah Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Margaret helped support her husband through medical school, internship, and residency, and assisted him in numerous capacities in his general medical practice in Shelley, Idaho. 

After 17 years in Shelley, Wendell completed a three-year medical residency in ophthalmology in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1971 they moved to Twin Falls, Idaho, where he began his ophthalmology practice in partnership with Drs. F.H. Fox and Morton Cutler.

Margaret was active in school and civic affairs, headed service groups, earned drama and Toastmistress speech awards, and led dramatic and musical groups and events. An active member of the LDS Church throughout her life, she faithfully served in callings across the Church’s auxiliaries. She and Wendell served a full-time mission for the Church in the Washington, D.C. North Mission. They were regular temple workers in the Boise Idaho Temple for 12 years thereafter, an experience which they both treasured.

But Margaret’s highest priority was her family. Her children were blessed to learn from such a bright, talented, and devoted mother, and she was a loving and continuous support to her husband and extended family. Her greatest desire was that her posterity would carry on her legacy of faith, industry, and service before self. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wendell Petty (September 24, 2010); siblings Flora Adams Dobson, Daniel Stanley, Alma Dorus, Orrin Karl, and Marva Adams; and daughter-in-law Roberta (Jerold Lee). She is survived by siblings Don Carlos, L. LaMar, and Bryant Adams; children Wendell Eugene Petty (Linda), Jerold Lee Petty, Sandra Petty Hobbs (Brad), and Wendy Petty Brinton (Daniel); 20 grandchildren; and 37 great-grandchildren, soon to be 38.

The funeral will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 723 Hankins Rd N, Twin Falls, Idaho, on Saturday, February 27, at 1:00 pm. The viewing will begin at 11:00 a.m. in the Relief Society room. Interment will be in Twin Falls Cemetery. 

Arrangements are under the direction of Parke’s Magic Valley Funeral Home. Those who wish to do so may share memories on her memorial page at www.magicvalleyfuneralhome.com.