Donald Ray Pettey, a recently new resident of Springfield, MO, died peacefully in the dark, early hours of Saturday, January 31, 2026. He was 88 years old.

Don is preceded in death by his wife of over 59 years, Wenona Belle (nee Hughes) Pettey; his oldest son, Douglas Ralph Pettey, his youngest son, Wendon Brint Pettey and his wife, Gidget (nee Kelley); and his son-in-law, Eric J Cochrane. As the youngest of 6 children born to Oliver Newton Pettey and Isa Ellen (nee Goodwin) Pettey, all of Don’s family of origin have also preceded him in death, along with 1 nephew, 1 niece, and all sibling in-laws except one sister-in-law and brother-in-law.

In addition to the remaining in-laws, Don is survived by his only remaining child—his daughter, Donetta Raylene Cochrane, his 3 grandsons, and 1 granddaughter. Wendon’s second wife and her daughter and grandson also survive Donald. Numerous nieces and nephews, along with many friends who have been like family, also survive and feel the grief of losing him in this life.

Don was born and raised in Texas, living in a variety of Texas communities with Houston being the most dominant residence. At 6-ft 7-inches, Don was living proof of the famous saying, “Everything is big in Texas!”

As a lanky young man, this preacher’s kid had his youthful rebellion against the faith and teachings he grew up learning. Running from God, he joined the Air Force in 1956 and was stationed as a radar technician in Bovington, England. While overseas, he turned back to God and promised to serve the Lord if God would somehow get him back home to his parent’s church. God agreed to this deal and miraculously got the government to release Airman 2^nd Class Pettey early from his 2-yr overseas assignment just a few days later!

After military leave allowed him to return home to parents and follow through with his promise to commit his life to God, Don moved to his new military assignment at Canon Air Force Base in Clovis, NM. There he met the love of his life and was “twitterpated” with her from then on. After honorably completing his obligated service with the Air Force, Don stepped into full-time ministry as a pastor of small churches, starting in New Mexico, moving on to Texas and Oklahoma, then returning to New Mexico for the bulk of his ministry years.

In addition to pastoring, Don also was involved in teaching and administration roles of Christian K-12 schools and eventually became an Assemblies of God US Missionary among the Navajo and Apache Indians of New Mexico. Other significant aspects of ministry included giving young new ministers an opportunity to preach and go on to become district leaders in the Assemblies of God. More than a few of the youth in those small churches Don pastored went on to become pastors, missionaries, and evangelists. Brother Pettey built and expanded many of the churches he pastored—literally, with a quality in both his remodeling designs and carpentry that one can expect from an artist. His baritone voice blended beautifully with Wenona’s strong alto, and the two were frequently asked to sing their powerful rendition of “I Know He Heard My Prayer.”  During his 14 years of pastoring in Roswell, NM, he led his family and his church in the practical ministries of foster care and in converting a portion of the church building into a shelter for battered women.

Even in the midst of all this ministry work, Don still found time to play the bass guitar, build and fly model airplanes, and paint a small gallery’s worth of artwork! Don’s artwork is best described as eclectic. Unlike many artists who limit themselves to only one medium, style, or subject matter, Don at least tried a variety of artistic expressions. He was one of the first civilians to earn an art-focused Associates degree from the New Mexico Military Institute.

While his formal education may have been limited, Don Pettey loved to learn. This love was not only evident in his art but also in his spiritual life. He loved to talk about God’s Word and often testified that God was still teaching him things, even in his old age. Like a visionary artist, Donald Pettey could see God at work in even the negative things of life and could frequently be heard praising His Lord and Savior for those blessings. Like the Psalmist, he could say, “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread” (Psalm 37:25).

“In lieu of flowers and plants (which all –except for roses–seem to be toxic to cats/pets), donations to the Aged Ministers Assistance of the Assemblies of God is suggested.”