WATERTOWN, NY —Â Eleanor Pettit, 97, Watertown, passed away at Samaritan Summit Village on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021.
Born July 12, 1924, in town of Alexandria, the daughter of the late Purl and Inez Babcock, she graduated in 1942 from Redwood High School.
Eleanor worked at Faichney Instruments in Watertown during World War II and later at Alden Mail Order House in Chicago.
She married in 1942, to the late William Russell, which ended in divorce in 1955.
She then went to work at the General Electric Company in Syracuse New York from 1956-1958.
In 1958 she married Ward Pettit who was a superintendent for many years at the Thousand Island Bridge in Collins Landing and later was the chief of security. He passed away in March 1988.
She worked at the Alexandria Bay Methodist Church for many years. When she moved to Watertown she became a member of the Asbury Methodist Church in Watertown.
Along with her parents and husband, Eleanor was predeceased by a son, Bobby Russell infant who passed away in 1952, a brother Donald Babcock who passed away in 2013, and a sister, Hilda Cummings.
Surviving are a son Gary (Marcie) Russell of Arkansas, her sisters Mary Inglehart of Florida, Jean Charland, and Betty (Lorian) Walts of Florida; 2 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Donations may be made to Asbury Methodist Church, 327 Franklin Street, Watertown NY 13601.
Calling hours will be held 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, at Cleveland Funeral Home, 404 Sherman St., Watertown. A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Friday, August 27, at the funeral home. Burial will follow in North Watertown Cemetery.
Online condolences may be shared at www.clevelandfhinc.com