The late Jackie Pettitt The respected founder of the Pettitts Supermarket chain, Jackie Pettitt, has died at the age of 87. Mr. Pettitt passed away surrounded by family members just before 11 p.m. last Tuesday night at his daughter Geraldine's home in Screen. Mr. Pettitt, who was active in the family business until the age of 83, had been ill on and off for the past four years. He grew up in Piercestown and attended Piercestown National School, before working at the L&N in Wexford for a number of years during World War Two. In 1946, he went into business himself for the first time with the Beechville Dairy on the Main Street, which a number of years later became the first Pettitts Supermarket. He opened the first self-service store in Wexford in 1965 at the same premises on the main street, and in 1975 Pettitts opened another store in St. Aidan's Crescent under the Londis Group. The supermarket chain he founded more than five decades ago, now runs a five store operation in Wexford, Enniscorthy, Gorey, Arklow and Athy. A keen sportsman, Mr. Pettitt was very involved in St. Martin's GAA Club, of which he was founding member. He was a noted cross-country runner, and was an active member of the DMP Athletics Team. When he was in his 40s he took up golf and served both as captain and president of Rosslare Golf Club. He is survived by son Des, daughters Mary and Geraldine, grandchildren and great-grandchild Liam, sisters Bessie, in Canada, and Eileen, who lives in Wexford. He was predeceased by his wife Nancy, who died in 1982. Mr. Pettitt was very much a family man, dedicated to his work and to his family. A religious person, he was a daily mass goer at Bride Street and led a simple life, very committed to his family and other activities, sporting and business, with a strong determination to progress and do his best. He was always very good to his grandchildren and had a lot of time for us and was extremely generous time for people generally,' said grandson John. He liked to be very active and at a time when many of his contemporaries had retired was still very active in business. Sport was a big passion for him too - hurling and running and golf in later years - the combination of business, sports and family keeping him ticking'. Business was always a great social outlet for him as well one of the main reasons he continued to go on working so long - and he was very much the kind of person who liked to interact with his customers - for him that was what life was about. During his Requiem Mass at Bride Street Church last Friday, Father Aodhon Markhan celebrated his life, his family saying they wanted to acknowledge their appreciation for his kind remarks. It was a nice way of sending him off. Denis Asple said some kind words about him in an appreciation and thank you to the people who looked after him in his latter years,' said a family member. The Mass was attended by a large cross-section of the people whose lives he had enriched during his 87 years with representatives from the business world, sporting bodies, friends, relatives and the many customers with whom he interacted. He was a great inspiration to a huge range and cross section of people and was an example to all us in how he lived his life,' said John. Courtesy of the Wexford People July 2004 Tweet

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