Howard "Howie" Arthur Pettit

Vietnam Navy Veteran – Graduate of David Douglas High School in Portland Oregon, Employed at Sears Roebuck, Boeing, and retired from OMAX. Born December 5, 1943, passed peacefully May 4, 2025, with his loved ones at his side in Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA.

Preceded in death by his mother Nina Pettit, father Leroy Pettit, brother Ron Pettit and sister Katherine Osejo and several beloved stray cats and dogs. Survived by his wife Sandra Pettit, sister Linda Pettit, daughters Kimmara Zeck, Yvette Minshall (Tom), son Michael Kellar, grandsons Justyce and Joshua Kellar. Howard also had several nieces and nephews he loved dearly.

Howard was a patient, loving soul to everyone and everything often caring for the elderly even with his own medical issues. “Go with the flow” was his mode and he was highly respected for his kind and thoughtful approach to any and everything. Howard had a great sense of humor to the end. He was joking the morning prior to passing, “I only wear one hearing aid because I don’t want to listen to everyone.”

Howie enjoyed many activities with his family and friends. He got great enjoyment from dog sitting for friends and several surgery residents and his beloved Buddy (fur-baby). Many weekend nights he would sit on the deck with a fire and before he knew it there would be a stray cat wrapping around his legs; we often referred to him as the “Cat and Dog Whisperer” as they seemed to find him wherever he went.

There was a special place in his heart for the surgery residents whom he got to know over a 5 plus year period during their education of which many became family (not just the opportunity to make pasties with them or to watch their dogs when they went on vacation or were in the process of moving) but bonding with their families, which brightened his day. He looked forward to all the residents’ visits and was always delighted to hear what they were doing after becoming Surgeons.

He loved hunting with his buddies, brother in law, John Powers and on occasion with his father (he became known as the “Elkless Dude the last 5 years” and was quite proud of the new nickname.

Upon retirement he enjoyed his Omax co-workers along with his daughter, son, grandsons and nieces at the Kite Festival where we would set up camp for several days. Flying kites on the beach as well as the boys camping trips with, Michael, Justyce and Joshua became annual events, and both were his favorite events with them.

Traveling with Cindy Weston (Beijing), John and Colleen Powers (Mexico, Hawaii, Palm Springs) and to Butte Montana to visit our cousins Bonnie and Ed Yeo and family were many trips he looked forward to. Howard also enjoyed attending with Patti “Red” Gunter especially when together in Butte. Howard admired her knowledge of the history of Butte as he too, was a history buff.

We are extremely grateful for Howard’s exemplary medical team, Charles Butler, MD, the Swedish Medical Center ER and ICU nurses and physicians, Christopher Carlson, MD and the anesthesiologists for their excellent care. Also, Polyclinic physicians Linda Anderson and Anne Pesensen. Additionally, we are extremely grateful for many messages of love, and support from Judah the Powers and Weston families during his passing.

Howard is and will be sorely missed by us all and we are all thankful for the many years of love, joy and laughter he gave us.

A Military Service will be held at the Tahoma National Cemetery in the near future. Casual attire would be appreciated as per Howard’s request.

- Care Entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Home -