Mr. Robert Thomas (Sonny) Petty, age 78, of Birmingham passed away Saturday, February 6th, 2016 at St. Vincent's Blount ER after living a life filled with learning, love and family.

Mr. Petty was a Shriner w/ Zamora Temple where he loved to entertain children by being a clown; he was a member of the American Legion Post #171, a member of the Masonic Lodge #842, he was known to always have a humorous story to tell and was an extremely happy person. Mr. Petty was influential in programming satellites and other equipment that have been to the moon. One of the weather satellites is on display in the Washington D. C. Smithsonian Museum and some of which are displayed in the Huntsville Space and Rocket Center.

Survivors include his wife Sharon Michie Vickers Petty; his sons James Wilson (Donna) Petty, Robert Adam (Marilyn) Petty; his daughters Virginia Lorraine Blake, Tracie Lea Michie Kirchner; his sister Judy Gambrell; 10 loving grandchildren and 13 adoring great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents Woodrow Wilson and Virginia Iona Petty; his brother Woodrow Wilson Petty Jr.; and his sister Virginia Petty.

Mr. Petty was a veteran of The United States Army and retired SMSGT from The United States Air National Guard in September 1997. He was retired from Healthsouth as a Senior Systems Analyst, after working many years in several of the local hospitals.

The family will receive friends at the Blount County Cleveland Funeral Home 17885 State Highway 160 Cleveland, Alabama 35049 on Friday, February 12th, 2016 from 9:00 am until 10:30 am. Funeral Services will follow at 10:30 am in the Blount County Cleveland Funeral Home Chapel. Burial is scheduled on Friday, February 12th, 2016 at 2:00 PM in the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo, Alabama with full military honors.

High Flight
-by P/O John Gillespie Magee RCAF

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air....

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, nor even eagle flew -
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

Blount County/ Cleveland Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.