Obituary of Joseph Harlan Petty

Joseph Harlan Petty Longtime Local CPA and Investment Advisor Joseph Harlan Petty, 81, died on March 3, 2015 after a brief illness. Joe was born on November 12, 1933 in Cookeville, Tennessee. Growing up in Chattanooga he earned a degree in accounting from the University of Chattanooga in 1958. He met his wife Dean Acomb Petty here in Chattanooga and they had one son, Ward. Joe was loved and respected by family, friends and business colleagues. In 1964, Joe and longtime business partner, Buddy Landis formed Petty & Landis a local accounting firm doing a good deal of work with Coca Cola Bottlers throughout the southeast. He served as managing partner of the firm for many years and he retired from the firm in 1996. At that time he joined his son in the investment business serving as assistant manager for A.G. Edwards. He continued to work at Benjamin F. Edwards, the successor firm to A.G. Edwards until the fall of 2014. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church where he had served as a deacon. Likewise, Joe was a long-time member of the Chattanooga Golf & Country Club as well as the Mountain City Club and a former president of the University of Tennessee @ Chattanooga Alumni Association. He was a longtime season ticketholder for Mocs basketball and he loved to watch Alabama football. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Dean A. Petty, son, Ward Petty (Nancy) and grandchildren, Joseph Tyler Petty & Margaret Mills (Mimi) Petty. A graveside service will be held at Forest Hills Cemetery on Monday, March 9th at 2:00 p.m. A celebration of Joe's life will follow from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the Mountain City Club. The family wishes to express its' sincere gratitude to Gail Carter, Pat Quarles, Ruth Harris, Sherie Miljanich and Mary Jamison who were wonderful caregivers to Joe. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Changed Lives, the McCallie School or to the Siskin Children's Institute. Arrangements are by Wann Funeral Home & Cremation Center, at the foot of Lookout Mountain, (423) 821-7551.