Elizabeth Winterholler Petty

Elizabeth Winterholler Petty 

May 31, 1955 – Sept. 19, 2022

Elizabeth “Beth” Winterholler Petty passed away quietly at home in Mesquite, Nevada, on Sept. 19, 2022, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Born in Lovell on May 31, 1955, she was the fifth of Bert and Alys Winterholler’s seven children. She was 67 years old.

In her youth, Beth was engaged in school activities, music, 4-H and cheerleading and was the best can-can dancer to come out of Big Horn County. One claim to fame was that she can-can danced for John Wayne.

During her freshman year at Brigham Young University, Beth met Frank Siggard Petty, and although they weren’t to date that year, they wrote to each other during the last eight months of Frank’s LDS mission. They wed soon after his return on August 11, 1976, in the Manti Temple. Beth graduated in 1977 with a degree in early childhood education. In 1994, she completed a Master of Education at Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio. She earned National Professional Teaching Board Certification in early literacy.

Beth’s life was filled with service to her career Army husband of 46 years, her three accomplished children, students from her 32 years of teaching school, callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, piano students and many others, who were all touched by her life. Whether working with migrant children or with inner-city students, Beth especially had a love for the disadvantaged and a tender heart for those in need. With her husband’s career, Beth lived in and traveled the world and
had a passion for people and cultures different from her own. Her career included 20 years of teaching military children at six schools in Germany and Italy.

Alzheimer’s disease robbed her of the people and things she loved and enjoyed most. Beth departs this life in her eternal progression survived by her husband, Frank; children Frank W. (Emily) of Maryland, Jessica (Jacob) Berg of Switzerland and Anthon (Melissa) of Germany; 10 grandchildren; siblings Kent (Roxane), Bert (Stephanie), Kathy (Joe) White, Margaret (John) Bennion, John (Donalyn) and Chris (Patrice); and a host of other relatives and friends.

A special thank you to Wennifer White, Bethany Green and Mesa View Hospice staff for their loving care of Beth in the final stages of her life.

Funeral services will be held Oct. 1 at 1 p.m. at the Metcalf Hurricane Valley Mortuary, 140 North Main Street, Hurricane, Utah. A viewing will be held the same day at the same location from 11:30 to 12:30. Burial will be at the Springdale, Utah, Cemetery following the funeral. 

Those who are unable to attend are invited to view the service from the following link: http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/78856. Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Metcalf Hurricane Valley Mortuary. For condolences please visit www.metcalfmortuary.com.

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