Jacques Orlando (Jack) Pettis, Sr., age 81, of 1512 Dolly Ann Drive, Covington, Virginia, died Sunday, May 22, 2011.

Jack was born March 16, 1930 in Clifton Forge, Virginia, to the late Joseph and Essie Mae Pettis.

He was a retired bellman from the former Jefferson Hotel in Clifton Forge and was a member of Main Street Baptist Church.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Loretta Jones Pettis; a son, Jacques "Jackie" Orlando Pettis, Jr.; five sisters, Gloria Calendar, Myrtle Hill, Dorothy Johnson, Nevonia Holloway, and Grace Crowder; and a brother, Harold Pettis.

He is survived by a daughter, Alethea E. Pettis of Covington; five sisters, Gailya Barnette of Vallejo, CA, Purial Pettis of Roanoke, Mary Pettis of Charlottesville, Judith Pettis of Roanoke, and Elviar Pettis of Pittsburg; five brothers, Joseph Pettis of Cleveland, OH, Robert Pettis of Washington, DC, Henry Pettis of Glasgow, Paul Pettis of Roanoke, and Lazarus Pettis of Roanoke; one grandson, Zachary Pettis of Covington; a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins; and a dear friend, Barbara Davenport of Clifton Forge.

A funeral service will be conducted on Friday at 2:00 p.m. in Main Street Baptist Church, Clifton Forge with Reverend Preston K. Tyler officiating and Reverend Matthew T. Barnette, Sr. delivering the eulogy. Interment will follow in Mountain View Cemetery, Clifton Forge. Active pallbearers will be Tommy Smith, Gary Holloway, Tony Allen, Butch Brown, Robert Hughes, Jimmy Walls, Scotty Averill, and Carl Craven. Honorary pallbearers will be Wayne Wilson, George Goode, Bill Brown, Wayland Mansfield, James B. Lewis, James W. Hughes, William Clark, and Lorenzo Heighter. Flower bearers will be Janice Clark, Jackie Carter, Katina Holloway, Ethel Thompson, Oteria Wallace, LaVino Morris, Mable Reynolds, Renee Fourqurean, and Geraldine Allen. The family will receive friends on Thursday evening from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge, and other times at the residence, 1512 Dolly Ann Drive, Covington, VA or at the home of Barbara Davenport, 720 Church St, Clifton Forge, VA.

The Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge, is in charge of arrangements.