TOPSHAM — Charles “Bill” Sumner Pettigrew, 82, of Topsham, died at his home Jan. 25.

Pettigrew was born June 4, 1930, in Lynn, Mass., to Charles Sumner Pettigrew and Etta Butler Pettigrew. He was the eldest of four children. 

He married his first wife, Evelyn Veno, in 1956. They were married 15 years before Evelyn died. The couple had one daughter, Stacey T. Pettigrew Veasey, who now lives in Texas. 

Pettigrew remarried in 1979, to Elizabeth Dupont Pettigrew, of Topsham. Elizabeth had four children from an earlier marriage and the couple had one more daughter, Amy Pettigrew Warner. 

Pettigrew enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1948 when he was 18 and served for 30 years before retiring as a meteorologist and the officer-in-charge of the Naval Weather Service detachment at Brunswick Naval Air Station, at the rank of chief warrant officer. He served two tours in the Philippines, a tour in Guam and a tour in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He was also stationed at many locations stateside, including bases in New Jersey and Maryland and at Brunswick Naval Air Station. He also served on the USS Wasp out of Boston. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, a National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.

Pettigrew completed his undergraduate degree at New Hampshire College, where he also received a master’s degree in business administration. In addition, he received a master’s degree from the University of Southern Maine. He went on to teach college for over 20 years at NHC and Central Maine Community College, and served as the director of the New Hampshire College Continuing Education Program at Brunswick Naval Air Station.

He was involved in his town, serving as a selectman in Topsham, umpire-in-chief of the Amateur Softball Association, and president of the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials of Southern Maine. He was a recipient of the 1991 Joshua Chamberlain Award and was a fourth-degree Knight of Columbus. 

Pettigrew is survived by his wife of 33 years, Liz Pettigrew, their daughter Stacy Veasey and her husband Jack, sons Tom Dupont, Phil Dupont and his wife Kelly, Edward Dupont and his wife Catherine, Michael Dupont and daughter Amy Pettigrew Warner, and his sister, Joanne Anderson, of Saugus, Mass. He also has six grandchildren, ranging in age from 9 to 28. He is predeceased by his parents and his brothers, Daniel and Robert Pettigrew.

Pettigrew loved his family, his community and service to others.

A Mass of Christian burial was held Wednesday at St. John the Baptist Church in Brunswick.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the Coastal Humane Society of Brunswick or to People Plus in Brunswick. 

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