GREIG - Rose V. Pettit, 84, of the Sweeney Road, passed away on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at the Lewis County Residential Health Care Facility, from injuries sustained in a house fire on February 28, 2011. Born on December 13, 1926, the daughter of the late William Metcalf Varker and Mary Dickson Varker, she lived in the Philadelphia area until 1990, when she retired from her work in Fuller Brush sales and moved permanently to Greig. Rose married Horace Pettit, Jr. in 1949. They had one child, Bradford, in 1954. They lived in Villanova, PA, to the west of Philadelphia. Rose and Horace divorced in the late 1960's. Horace was a partner in the Carson-Pettit automobile dealership in Devon, PA, and died in a glider crash in 1984. Rose's mother, Mary D. Varker, was one of the early women medical doctors in the United States. She graduated from the Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1925 and practiced in the Philadelphia area. She passed away in 1992. Rose's father, William M. Varker, was an architect. He owned a house in Greig which he had inherited from his uncle Jacob van Woert, who owned and ran the tannery for which Tannery Creek was named, and built the large house (Valley View) and red barn on the Sweeney Road. The family spent summers at Valley View during Rose's childhood, and her father continued to live there during the warmer months until his death in 1968. For many years, it was Rose's dream to be able to live in Greig when she retired. An avid horse woman, Rose rode until the age of 75 and continued to keep horses in her barn until her passing. Rose was also an ardent protector of the environment. She was active in preserving the abundance and purity of Lewis County's natural resources, especially water, woodlands and the rural beauty of the area. Rose was admired for her independence, her spunk, and her willingness to take on projects in the community interest, including the protection of the Town of Greig water supply, and the enforcement of state laws regarding the use of roadways by ATVs. She was known for sticking to her guns and never backing down. She has expressed hopes that her work on community issues will be continued, so that the beauty of Lewis County can be enjoyed by future generations. She is survived by her son Bradford, a Dianetics Counselor in Glendale, CA; grandchildren Sarah and Melissa Pettit; and brothers William Varker, retired Presbyterian minister, and Richard Varker, retired Navy pilot and entrepreneur. Per Rose's wishes, she is to be cremated. A private service in celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, April 30th. Those who wish to remember Rose should make a donation in her name to the Brantingham Preservation Group or the Adirondack Council.