[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 87 (Friday, May 25, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING THE LIFE OF WOODY PETTUS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB GOODLATTE

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 25, 2018

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, Woodrow ``Woody'' Pettus was a true 
Virginia gentleman. For 58 years, he worked at The Homestead, a 
historic resort nestled in the mountains of beautiful Bath County, 
Virginia. He was an institution there, known for his knack for 
remembering faces and names and always greeting guests and friends with 
a smile.
  Woody left this earthly life for his heavenly home on May 16, 2018, 
at the age of 77. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Ruby Alloway 
Pettus, as well as two children, Woodrow Houston Pettus and wife Helen, 
and Lisa Pettus Aguilar, and many grandchildren, great grandchildren, 
and special family members. My prayers for peace and comfort are with 
them as they reflect on their loss and remember the memories they 
shared with Woody, affectionately known as ``Pa'' to some.
  Woody was born on March 28, 1941, to the late Walter Woodrow Pettus 
and Nellie Moats Pettus in Warm Springs, Virginia. He started caddying 
at The Homestead as a teenager, and instantly made an impression on 
guests and co-workers alike. While he loved the game of golf, he wanted 
something with more history and decided to move to the stables and work 
with his father who was one of the senior Livery Drivers. Woody 
eventually moved on to the Dining Room where he served in a variety of 
roles, including his most recent position of Maitre d'. In 2003, 
Golfstyles magazine recognized him as the Maitre d'Hotel of the Year. 
Last September, Historic Hotels of America honored him as Ambassador of 
the Year, which is presented to an individual who has dedicated his or 
her career to a historic hotel for at least 25 years and has shown 
exemplary hospitality and service to the hotel and its guests. Woody 
was one of five generations of Pettuses who have worked at The 
Homestead. He was also a member of Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church in Warm 
Springs, where he was baptized as a youth.
  The Homestead is a special place for me and my family. Woody was a 
dear friend and always greeted my family warmly. He and I enjoyed 
catching up frequently over the years I know this is a sentiment widely 
shared as evidenced by the outpouring of support for him when his 
cancer diagnosis was announced and now in his passing. For many guests, 
the staff at The Homestead has become an extended family.
  The weekend of June 1st, his family, friends, and his beloved 
``Homestead family'' will gather to celebrate his life and pay tribute 
to his long and vibrant legacy--rich with kindness and a dedication to 
serving others. It is only fitting that he be celebrated at the place 
that he loved so dearly by the people he built relationships with over 
the past six decades.
  Woody's presence will be dearly missed in the hallways and dining 
room of The Homestead, but certainly not forgotten. I know that I will 
long remember his kind smile and gentle demeanor, just like many others 
he met over the years. Woody was one in a million, and we are all 
better for having known him.
  He sums it up best himself. When asked what he loves most about what 
he does, Woody said, ``When I can look down the hall leading to the 
dining room and see some of my guests coming toward me, guests that 
I've known for years, coming back. That's when I know that my life has 
not been in vain.''

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