Roscoe "Jigger" Robert Pettengill

Rock Rapids

     Roscoe “Jigger” Pettengill age 102, of Rock Rapids died Monday, December 21, 2020 at Rock Rapids Health Centre, due to complications of Covid-19.

     Roscoe Robert “Jigger” Pettengill was born on March 8, 1918 in Rock Rapids, Iowa, the son of Sylvester “Vet” and Christina (Guyan) Pettengill. He was raised in Rock Rapids and graduated from Wilson High School in 1937. He continued his education at Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis, MN. After graduating he returned to Rock Rapids, where he worked until he joined the U.S. Army in 1941. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor WWII was declared and he was deployed to Europe. When the war was over, he returned to Rock Rapids and went into a partnership with his brother, Leon, along with their father, Vet. They owned the Pettengill Lumber Yard and Block Plant. On October 27, 1946 he married Nadene Campbell in Luverne, MN. In the 1950’s a ready-mix plant and gravel pit were added to the business. Jigger continued to run the Ready-Mix/Gravel business until he retired. Jigger was a member of the Rock Rapids Kiwanis Club, and the Rock Rapids Airport Commission, as well as serving on other community boards. He became a private pilot, and after retirement, he flew for local charter services.

     Jigger and Nadene spent their last years together residing in the remodeled “Old Rock Rapids Public Library”, which they had moved from main street to a location along the Rock River, near the south edge of Rock Rapids.

     He is survived by his son, Pete (wife Von) Pettengill of Rock Rapids, IA; a daughter, Leslie Pettengill of Rock Rapids, IA; two granddaughters, Jennifer (husband Cal) Van Dyke of Brandon, SD and Kimberly (husband Mike) Hawkins of Spirit Lake, IA; four grandsons, Hudson and Kaden Van Dyke and Samuel and Cooper Hawkins; a brother-in-law, Edward Sindt of Rock Rapids, IA; along with numerous nieces and nephews.

     He is preceded in death by his wife, Nadene Pettengill; a granddaughter; and his siblings.