Mary Devonne "Dee" Kelley Godfrey Petty

Mary Devonne “Dee” Kelley Godfrey Petty,96, beloved daughter, sister, wife, aunt and friend, passed away October 9, 2022, in Tyler, Tx.

After a private interment at Kilgore Cemetery, a memorial service will be held at Rader Funeral Home of Kilgore on Friday, October 14 at 10:00 am followed by visitation.

Dee was born December 23, 1925, in Bernice, La., and graduated from Bernice High School. She was a member of Mt. Sterling Baptist Church in Bernice, a church for which her paternal grandfather, William Henry Kelley, was a founding member. After high school, she moved to Kilgore, Texas and became a member of Kilgore First Baptist Church where she was privileged to worship for many years. She was baptized at an early age but as she grew in her Christian faith, she was re-baptized in believer’s baptism in Kilgore.

Once in Texas, she studied business at Kilgore College and was employed by independent oil operator Douglas Godfrey, who she would later marry. Godfrey helped establish Dee as one of the first women oil operators in East Texas and as Devonne Godfrey DBA DECO, she managed their oil properties for many years.

After Doug’s death in a traffic accident, she married Ed Petty, who died following complications from heart surgery.

She remained active in the oil industry until she retired in 2006 and moved to Tyler, Texas. She attended Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler for many years, but kept her membership as an active member of Kilgore First Baptist Church where she enjoyed worshipping and visiting with her friends as often as she could. Through her business experience and dedication to her churches, she became an inspiration and mentor to many, especially her nieces and their children.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William Douglas “Doug” Godfrey and by her husband, William Edward “Ed” Petty; her parents, Myrtle and Menefee Kelley, Sr.; her brother and his wife, Janet and Menefee F. Kelley, Junior; and her oldest niece, Janet Kelley Bolton. She is survived by four nieces, all of Tennessee: Mary Kelley Nahmias, Suzanne Kelley Slone, Carol Kelley Ellis (Bill), Kathleen Kelley Williams, and extended family, Laura Geese (Freddie) of Tyler, TX; Brenda Landry (Jeff) of Pasadena, TX; Steve Massey (Rose) of Houston, TX; and a host of great-nieces and nephews and beloved friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to Kilgore First Baptist Church, 501 E. North Street, Kilgore, TX 75662, or the charity of the donor’s choice.