Former County Commissioner Petty dies after extended illness

Former Madison County Commissioner Harold Petty died Friday afternoon. He was 75.

Petty served on the Commission for nine years, battling cancer and other illnesses for much of the last couple years.

He won re-election in 2022 but resigned from his seat earlier this year when his cancer had come back and he thought it best let someone else who could devote more time and energy to the position to have it.

“Commissioner Petty is a good man and a good American,” said Commission Chairman Gary Deaton when the Commission officially accepted his resignation at their March meeting. “If we had more like him, this would be a better Commission.”

Petty’s arrangements are being handled by Arrington Funeral Home. The funeral will be Tuesday, July 11, at 2 p.m. in the chapel at Englewood Baptist Church. Visitation will start at noon until the start of the funeral.

Born in Reagan, Petty graduated high school at Frazier High in Memphis in 1965. He spent six years in the United States Marine Corp from 1966-72.

He worked for Cox Oil Company in Union City for 28 years including a stint at president before opening Dumpling’s Restaurant in Jackson and owning it for 10 years.

He also served on the leadership staff at the Criminal Justice Complex as an assistant jail administrator. Because of his work with the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, he was a key individual in communications between the MCSO and County Commission for former Sheriff John Mehr.

This story will be updated.