Jeff was born Jeffrey Charles Blackgrave, the firstborn son of Charles Louis Blackgrave (1926-2007) and Dolores (Dotson) Blackgrave, Petty (b. 1940) in Jasper, Dubois County, IN.
Jeff's siblings:
-Kelly Denise Blackgrave (Petty) Sexton, Wampler (b. 1959)
-Eric Wayne (Blackgrave) Petty (b. 1966)
-Faith Petty (1974-1974)
-Heather Renee (Petty) Howell (b. 1975)
-Clarence "Loren" Petty, Jr. (b. 1955)
-Shirley Kay (Petty, Coombs) Jones (b. 1956)
-Cynthia Ann "Cindy" (Petty) Richey (b. 1957)
After Jeff's parents divorced c. 1968, Dolores remarried to Clarence Loren Petty, Sr. (1933-2007) and she and the children removed from Jasper to Henryville (Clark Co.), IN. During his school years, Jeff adopted "Petty" as his last name, but it was never legally changed. He attended Henryville High School, until 1976, when Jeff joined the U.S. Navy. After basic training in FL, he was stationed in California. He returned to Indiana after an honorable discharge in 1978/79.
In 1983, he met his future wife, Debra Hart (b. 1960, MI) in Louisville, Kentucky, through his sister Kelly. Jeff and Debra married in 1986 in Sevierville, Sevier, TN and the couple lived in Pekin, Henryville, and New Albany, IN, where they lived when their first child was born. Soon after, they moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where their second child was born. Together they had two children:
-Damen Jeffrey Blackgrave (b. 1987 in Louisville, Jefferson, KY)
-Tyler Austin Blackgrave (b. 1988 in Charleston, Charleston, SC)
Jeff was a carpenter by trade, working in his stepfather Clarence Petty's family construction firm through most of his adult life. He attended Indiana University-Southeast in New Albany for medical technology in 1985-1986. After Petty Construction moved from Henryville, IN to James Island, Charleston, SC, Jeff and Debra moved in 1987 to James Island in Charleston, where he continued to work in the family business until his 1995 death there.
Although Jeff had struggles in this life, he was genuinely loved his children, his parents, siblings, nephews, nieces, and all of his extended family. He was a gifted piano player and poet, and enjoyed music, cars and motorcycles. He was one of the most gentle, kind and compassionate men I've ever known, and is genuinely loved and dearly missed by his family.
------------------------------
Biography courtesy Debra Hart (02.07.2013; revised 11.09.2023). Please retain original credits on bio and photos if copied. Thank you.
Jeff's siblings:
-Kelly Denise Blackgrave (Petty) Sexton, Wampler (b. 1959)
-Eric Wayne (Blackgrave) Petty (b. 1966)
-Faith Petty (1974-1974)
-Heather Renee (Petty) Howell (b. 1975)
-Clarence "Loren" Petty, Jr. (b. 1955)
-Shirley Kay (Petty, Coombs) Jones (b. 1956)
-Cynthia Ann "Cindy" (Petty) Richey (b. 1957)
After Jeff's parents divorced c. 1968, Dolores remarried to Clarence Loren Petty, Sr. (1933-2007) and she and the children removed from Jasper to Henryville (Clark Co.), IN. During his school years, Jeff adopted "Petty" as his last name, but it was never legally changed. He attended Henryville High School, until 1976, when Jeff joined the U.S. Navy. After basic training in FL, he was stationed in California. He returned to Indiana after an honorable discharge in 1978/79.
In 1983, he met his future wife, Debra Hart (b. 1960, MI) in Louisville, Kentucky, through his sister Kelly. Jeff and Debra married in 1986 in Sevierville, Sevier, TN and the couple lived in Pekin, Henryville, and New Albany, IN, where they lived when their first child was born. Soon after, they moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where their second child was born. Together they had two children:
-Damen Jeffrey Blackgrave (b. 1987 in Louisville, Jefferson, KY)
-Tyler Austin Blackgrave (b. 1988 in Charleston, Charleston, SC)
Jeff was a carpenter by trade, working in his stepfather Clarence Petty's family construction firm through most of his adult life. He attended Indiana University-Southeast in New Albany for medical technology in 1985-1986. After Petty Construction moved from Henryville, IN to James Island, Charleston, SC, Jeff and Debra moved in 1987 to James Island in Charleston, where he continued to work in the family business until his 1995 death there.
Although Jeff had struggles in this life, he was genuinely loved his children, his parents, siblings, nephews, nieces, and all of his extended family. He was a gifted piano player and poet, and enjoyed music, cars and motorcycles. He was one of the most gentle, kind and compassionate men I've ever known, and is genuinely loved and dearly missed by his family.
------------------------------
Biography courtesy Debra Hart (02.07.2013; revised 11.09.2023). Please retain original credits on bio and photos if copied. Thank you.
Jeff was born Jeffrey Charles Blackgrave, the firstborn son of Charles Louis Blackgrave (1926-2007) and Dolores (Dotson) Blackgrave, Petty (b. 1940) in Jasper, Dubois County, IN.
Jeff's siblings:
-Kelly Denise Blackgrave (Petty) Sexton, Wampler (b. 1959)
-Eric Wayne (Blackgrave) Petty (b. 1966)
-Faith Petty (1974-1974)
-Heather Renee (Petty) Howell (b. 1975)
-Clarence "Loren" Petty, Jr. (b. 1955)
-Shirley Kay (Petty, Coombs) Jones (b. 1956)
-Cynthia Ann "Cindy" (Petty) Richey (b. 1957)
After Jeff's parents divorced c. 1968, Dolores remarried to Clarence Loren Petty, Sr. (1933-2007) and she and the children removed from Jasper to Henryville (Clark Co.), IN. During his school years, Jeff adopted "Petty" as his last name, but it was never legally changed. He attended Henryville High School, until 1976, when Jeff joined the U.S. Navy. After basic training in FL, he was stationed in California. He returned to Indiana after an honorable discharge in 1978/79.
In 1983, he met his future wife, Debra Hart (b. 1960, MI) in Louisville, Kentucky, through his sister Kelly. Jeff and Debra married in 1986 in Sevierville, Sevier, TN and the couple lived in Pekin, Henryville, and New Albany, IN, where they lived when their first child was born. Soon after, they moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where their second child was born. Together they had two children:
-Damen Jeffrey Blackgrave (b. 1987 in Louisville, Jefferson, KY)
-Tyler Austin Blackgrave (b. 1988 in Charleston, Charleston, SC)
Jeff was a carpenter by trade, working in his stepfather Clarence Petty's family construction firm through most of his adult life. He attended Indiana University-Southeast in New Albany for medical technology in 1985-1986. After Petty Construction moved from Henryville, IN to James Island, Charleston, SC, Jeff and Debra moved in 1987 to James Island in Charleston, where he continued to work in the family business until his 1995 death there.
Although Jeff had struggles in this life, he was genuinely loved his children, his parents, siblings, nephews, nieces, and all of his extended family. He was a gifted piano player and poet, and enjoyed music, cars and motorcycles. He was one of the most gentle, kind and compassionate men I've ever known, and is genuinely loved and dearly missed by his family.
------------------------------
Biography courtesy Debra Hart (02.07.2013; revised 11.09.2023). Please retain original credits on bio and photos if copied. Thank you.
Jeff's siblings:
-Kelly Denise Blackgrave (Petty) Sexton, Wampler (b. 1959)
-Eric Wayne (Blackgrave) Petty (b. 1966)
-Faith Petty (1974-1974)
-Heather Renee (Petty) Howell (b. 1975)
-Clarence "Loren" Petty, Jr. (b. 1955)
-Shirley Kay (Petty, Coombs) Jones (b. 1956)
-Cynthia Ann "Cindy" (Petty) Richey (b. 1957)
After Jeff's parents divorced c. 1968, Dolores remarried to Clarence Loren Petty, Sr. (1933-2007) and she and the children removed from Jasper to Henryville (Clark Co.), IN. During his school years, Jeff adopted "Petty" as his last name, but it was never legally changed. He attended Henryville High School, until 1976, when Jeff joined the U.S. Navy. After basic training in FL, he was stationed in California. He returned to Indiana after an honorable discharge in 1978/79.
In 1983, he met his future wife, Debra Hart (b. 1960, MI) in Louisville, Kentucky, through his sister Kelly. Jeff and Debra married in 1986 in Sevierville, Sevier, TN and the couple lived in Pekin, Henryville, and New Albany, IN, where they lived when their first child was born. Soon after, they moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where their second child was born. Together they had two children:
-Damen Jeffrey Blackgrave (b. 1987 in Louisville, Jefferson, KY)
-Tyler Austin Blackgrave (b. 1988 in Charleston, Charleston, SC)
Jeff was a carpenter by trade, working in his stepfather Clarence Petty's family construction firm through most of his adult life. He attended Indiana University-Southeast in New Albany for medical technology in 1985-1986. After Petty Construction moved from Henryville, IN to James Island, Charleston, SC, Jeff and Debra moved in 1987 to James Island in Charleston, where he continued to work in the family business until his 1995 death there.
Although Jeff had struggles in this life, he was genuinely loved his children, his parents, siblings, nephews, nieces, and all of his extended family. He was a gifted piano player and poet, and enjoyed music, cars and motorcycles. He was one of the most gentle, kind and compassionate men I've ever known, and is genuinely loved and dearly missed by his family.
------------------------------
Biography courtesy Debra Hart (02.07.2013; revised 11.09.2023). Please retain original credits on bio and photos if copied. Thank you.
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