This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here.

Wearing an old-timey outfit of suspenders, tan pants and an old felt hat, Gary Pettus told a group of teenagers about being an American pioneer in the 1800s.

“One night it got so cold,” Mr. Pettus said, according to a friend, Don Cole, “that the tent froze to my hair. The trail boss came by and jerked the tent up to tell us it was time to get up.”

He removed his felt hat. “Look!” he cried. Mr. Pettus was bald.

Just as he threw himself into disaster relief work and building his plumbing business, Mr. Pettus relished leading pioneer treks — camping trips designed to teach young members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about the flight of early Mormons from persecution.

Source: New York Times

Powered by NewsAPI.org