David Petty

BOARDMAN - A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday morning at 10 a.m. at St. Matthias Church for David W. Petty, 44, who died suddenly Monday morning of an apparent heart attack at St Elizabeth Boardman Health Center, after being stricken at his home.

David was born April 27, 1966, in Youngstown, the son of William and Rita Novotny Petty.

He was a 1984 graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School, where he excelled in basketball, earning all-star recognition for the Steel Valley Conference. After his graduation, he enrolled in Mount Union College, earning four varsity letters as a member of its basketball team. He graduated from Mount Union in 1988 with his Bachelors Degree in Education.

He began his teaching and coaching career in 1989 at Byzantine Central Catholic and in 1994, accepted a position at Ursuline High School, where he taught and coached until 1999. While at Ursuline, he was an assistant coach for Ursuline's State Championship boys basketball team and later served two years as their head basketball coach. In 1999, he returned to his alma mater Cardinal Mooney where he has served passionately as a history and phys ed teacher, basketball coach, mentor and friend to so many.

Besides his many Scholastic and Collegiate honors, Dave's lifetime love for basketball led him as a member of four National Championship Catholic Sokols teams.

A devoted husband and father Dave loved spending time with his family and was currently coaching his daughter's youth basketball team at the YMCA.

Dave will also be remembered as a great friend. He particularly had a great gift of organizing gatherings to generate comradery. In fact, he was the founder and perpetual president of the Billy Paultz fan club which recently celebrated its 24th annual golf outing for its members and supporters.

Even in the tragedy of his sudden death, Dave's generous legacy continues as an organ donor.

He is survived by his wife, the former Raynae Patterson, whom he married, July 21, 2001, a daughter, Magen R. Petty and a son, William M. Petty, all at home; his mother, Rita LoGiudice Bob of Boardman; a sister, Sue Ron Yarab of Poland; his in-laws, Susan Dwight Hicks of Austintown and William Pam Patterson of Mineral Ridge; and two brothers-in-law, William Patterson of Canada and Mark Patterson of St. Augustine, Fla.

David was preceded in death by his father, William James Petty.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Higgins-Reardon Funeral Home, Boardman-Canfield Chapel.

The family has requested that material tributes take the form of donations to the Dave Petty Scholarship Fund. Donations can be made at any Huntington Bank branch or mailed to 1359 E. Calla Road, Poland, OH 44514.