John A. Pettet

John A. Pettet, 73, of Fall River, MA. passed away August 31, 2012. He died of complications following surgery for a heart ailment. He was the son of the late Arthur and Evelyn (Hobby) Pettet. His sister, Diane Pettet Altman, nephew, Lucas P. Altman and niece, Morgan P. Altman, survive him. Born in New York, He was raised in Lincoln, Rhode Island. There he developed an abiding love of nature and a response to its beauty. John was a graduate of Providence Country Day, Hamilton College, and Columbia University. Thereafter began an amazing life's journey. He became a world traveler, spending many years in Italy, particularly Rome and Milan where with his friend, Charles Auger, he founded the successful language school, "Lip Service". It trained foreign speakers to quickly learn the language of business as spoken in English. At one time, he was a partner in a company that imported machinery from Italy to modernize the olive oil industry in Morocco. John was known for his love of architecture, opera, Broadway, books, horticulture and food, all enthusiastically shared with his many friends. In 2000, John became a tour guide for The Preservation Society of Newport County where he was known for humor, historical accuracy, and a unique ability to entertain visitors, particularly younger ones. He could easily transition into fluent French or Italian, enriching the tours for international visitors. He was a born teacher. A celebration of his life will be held on September 27, 2012 from 5-8 at the Atlantic Beach Club 55 Purgatory Road Middletown RI 401-847-2750 All are welcomed especially with "John Stories"