Few among us have escaped the grief associated with the death of a family member or close friend during the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 500,000 Americans.
The nation’s first known casualty from the virus was on Feb. 6, 2020, with the passing of Patricia Cabello David, 57, of San Jose, Calif.
“She loved reading, scrapbooking, traveling, going to movies, wine tasting and most especially spending quality time with her family and friends,” her obituary read.
Reading about the rhythms of the lady’s life reminded me of a close friend lost to the coronavirus, one Andrew Fred Petro Sr., or just plain Andy, a lifelong resident of Leland who died Nov. 2 at age 77.
I’m not positive how long it took me to become aware of Andy Petro after moving to Leland in late 1978 to run its weekly newspaper — but at least 15 minutes!
Andy had a 33-year career with the U.S. Postal Service, working a day shift at the window, where he had a constant and fine-tuned eye and ear on the stirrings and conversations of the small Mississippi Delta town of 5,000.
Each Wednesday evening for 14 years after closing that window, he would open the back door of the Post Office so we could post the Leland Progress for Thursday delivery, thus earning the title of “unofficial editor.”
Andy’s contributions to Leland went far beyond helping the Gordons get out the local newspaper. You could almost say “Andy was just being Andy” and let it go at that, but such wouldn’t be complete.
His public service included a 20-year stint as a member of the Leland Board of Aldermen. But his enduring interest in all things Leland (particularly those tinged with a minor controversy) didn’t stop there.
From the time he was grade-school age, Andy would spring into action at the sound of the blaring fire whistle and take off flying on his bicycle to the site of every fire in and around Leland. That led to a 56-year commitment to the Leland Volunteer Fire Department.
Andy’s first fire as an official member of the elite Leland force, which is considered to be among Mississippi’s finest group of volunteer firefighters, came in 1964 on his 21st birthday – followed by all those years of loyalty to a job from which he never retired.
During his month-long illness from the virus, hundreds of Leland’s townspeople returned their appreciation for Andy with a show of support for him, his wife Gloria and their two sons, Andrew and Marc, at a prayer vigil held at the Leland Fire Station.
Despite a gallant fight in a Jackson hospital’s ICU, he could not overcome the considerable odds against him.
He received a full “fallen firefighter” salute at the Leland-Stoneville Cemetery, after riding there in the back of Leland’s first fire truck, a 1926 model. There were 11 fire trucks in the funeral procession from eight nearby towns.
A few years ago while in Washington, he visited a fire station and got “called out” to a fire when they were a man short. True to form, Petro advised them how fires are fought in Leland. They made him an “honorary D.C. firefighter.”
Andy loved the spaghetti dinner at the annual St. James Catholic Church Bazaar, where he was a life member, almost as much as he loved sharing good times at many renowned Delta restaurants.
Andy Petro’s years were justly celebrated, and Leland remains really sad that a vicious virus came along to interrupt a life so well lived.
Mac Gordon is a native of McComb. He is a retired newspaperman. He can be reached at macmarygordon@gmail.com.
