Bassett Family Association Database
Family: Vernon Leslie Petty / Betty Joyce Rife (F8149)
m. 29 Apr 1944
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Male
Vernon Leslie Petty
Birth 26 Jun 1917 Lusk, Wyoming 
Death 20 Mar 1994 Joplin, Missouri Burial Marriage 29 Apr 1944 Bloomington, Indiana Other Spouse Living Petty | F8150 Marriage Father James Douglas Petty | F5352 Group Sheet Mother Bertha Lee Fleming | F5352 Group Sheet
Female
Betty Joyce Rife
Birth 5 Feb 1927 Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana Death 16 Feb 1984 Nevada, Missouri Burial Father Mother
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Notes - Family history information provided by Vernon and Joyce to their childrenstates that Vernon served in the South Pacific theater during World WarII. Vernon developed a tropical disease that he called "elaphantitis"that resulted in severe swelling of his legs. Vernon was shippedstateside and served the remainder of his duty with the United StatesMarines at Crane Naval Ammunition Depot near Bedford, Indiana. Althoughexact details of Vernon and Joyce's first contact was never told, Joyceworked at the University of Indiana for the Naval ROTC, and always saidthis was the way she and Vernon met.
Vernon and Joyce traveled together to Camp Lejuene, North Carolina. Thisis inferred from a photograph this writer saw years ago with Vernon andJoyce standing by a sign labeled Camp Lejuene.
During my (Vicki) early years, Joyce and Vernon lived with the Rife/Eadsgrandparents at Chapel Hill. I have only vague memories of this periodof time and remember when my family relocated to Judah where my fatheroperated a grocery store and garage and my mother worked for RCA Victorin Bloomington. Mom did not drive and had to ride with someone to workor my father took her.
Joyce Petty learned to drive after our family moved to Arthur, Missouriin 1958. My father owned a white, 1962 Chevrolet that he traded to myuncle John David Petty. In return, my father got a 1958, ugly, pucecolored Chevrolet. It was this car that mom learned to drive. Mom nevergot the hang of driving a standard transmission (the 62 was manual), butdid well with an automatic.
Mom and dad fought a great deal about money. Dad was an independent sortof man who preferred to remain self-employed. Mom always thought ourfamily would be better off financially if dad worked for someone else.One thing about the arrangement, dad was always around and none of uskids ever had a babysitter, unless one of the aunts or grandparents keptus.
- Family history information provided by Vernon and Joyce to their childrenstates that Vernon served in the South Pacific theater during World WarII. Vernon developed a tropical disease that he called "elaphantitis"that resulted in severe swelling of his legs. Vernon was shippedstateside and served the remainder of his duty with the United StatesMarines at Crane Naval Ammunition Depot near Bedford, Indiana. Althoughexact details of Vernon and Joyce's first contact was never told, Joyceworked at the University of Indiana for the Naval ROTC, and always saidthis was the way she and Vernon met.