- Date Of Birth: July 8, 1920
- Date Of Death: May 7, 2006
- State: Illinois
George J. Petefish, 85 years, of Virginia, IL died Sunday morning, May 7, 2006 at Passavant Area Hospital in Jacksonville, IL.
He was born July 8, 1920 in rural Virginia, IL; the son of Glen and Lenora Carls Petefish. He married Edith M. McMahan in 1978 in Virginia, IL and she survives in Jacksonville, IL.
He is survived by a daughter from a previous marriage, Debra K. ‘Debbie’ Cabrera (husband, Ramon) of Brenham, TX; two step daughters, Belinda Hutchins (husband, Wayne) of Chatham and Diane Cooley (husband, Bob) of Jacksonville; two step sons, William McMahan (wife, Olga) of Mesa, AZ and Donald McMahan (wife, Courtney) of Jacksonville; eleven step grandchildren; seven step great grandchildren; and a niece.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Glen C. Petefish (surviving wife, Marilyn of Virginia).
Mr. Petefish was a 1938 graduate of Virginia High School and attended Illinois College in Jacksonville. He served from 1943-1945 as a sergeant with the US Army during WW II. He farmed in Cass County for a few years prior to working as an insurance agent for Country Companies in the Pleasant Hill area. He later returned to Virginia where he was a partner with Ted Harrison Oil Company, a Phillips 66 Distributor and retail tire marketer. He was later elected Cass County Clerk, serving 12 years prior to his retirement. Following retirement, he served on the Cass County Board, as a member of the Cass County E911 Committee, and was active in other civic endeavors.
He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Virginia which he had served as an Elder. A dedicated mason, he was a 61 year member of Virginia Lodge #544 A.F. & A.M., Adah Robinson Chapter #276 O. E. S., the Valley of Springfield Consistory, and Ansar Shrine. An active member of the Cass County Democratic Party, he also was a member of Cass-Morgan Farm Bureau, American Legion Post #258, and a past president of the former Virginia Kiwanis Club.
