Obituary: Sue Nell Lax Pettigrew – Bolivar, Tennessee
Sue Nell Lax Pettigrew, 94, of Bolivar, passed from this life Wednesday, August 24, 2022, at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. She was the widow of Robert W. “Bobby” Lax (d. August 23, 1968) and Inman E. “Snooks” Pettigrew, Jr. (d. August 6, 2002).
Mrs. Lax was born in Toone to the late Albert Joseph and Birdie Mitchell Keller and lived most all her life in Hardeman County. In 1958, she enrolled in beautician school and her husband, Bobby, enrolled in barber school in Memphis where they lived before returning home. She operated Sue’s Beauty Shop out of her home for 25 years beginning 1960 and Mr. Lax was owner/operator of City Barber Shop in Bolivar.
As a girl, her father was employed at Western State Hospital and the family lived on the grounds. She worked there also and was always sure to be home by 10 p.m. before the gates to the grounds were closed and locked. When she was a teenager, she worked at the Ben Franklin store in Bolivar and was entrusted with closing and locking up. She was a member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary since the 1940s where she helped roll bandages for our soldiers during World War II.
Mrs. Lax was a member of Bolivar First Baptist Church and an active member of Norma Jean Kirk’s JOY Sunday School class. In her leisure time, she loved to sew, crochet, and care for all her grandchildren. Mrs. Lax loved to travel, many times on cruise ships, to such locations as the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Old Mexico. Her favorite spot to visit was the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee.
She also was a lover of cats and is survived by her pet, “Blackie”.
Graveside services will be held on Friday, August 26, 2022, at 3 p.m. at the Bolivar Memorial Cemetery. Shackelford Funeral Directors of Bolivar are in charge of professional arrangements. Mrs. Lax is survived by her son, Robbie Lax (Janie) of Bolivar; daughters, Betty Nerren-Maples (Charles) of Mercer and Martha Lee Lax Casey of Bolivar; six grandchildren, Ryan Lax (Kasey) and Evin Lax (Allison), both of Bolivar, Ginny Stalker (Jack) of Nashville, Casey Nerren (Lisa) of Collierville, Brandy McKinnie (Steve), and Jessica Soares (Matt), both of Jackson; and 10 great-grandchildren, Kolby, Shelby, Isabella and Paisley Lax, Mason and Sophia Nerren, Casey and Kyle McKinnie, Astin Martin and Jackson French.
In addition to her husbands and parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Eugene Keller; two sons-in-law, Jack Casey and Larry “Pee-Wee” Nerren; and her two dearest friends, Frances Baker and Blanche Maxwell.
The family would like to thank the staff of Christian Care Center for the excellent care provided to Mrs. Pettigrew during her stay.
Courtesy of Shackelford Funeral Directors, Bolivar, Tennessee.
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