Mary P Pettit Memorial Scholarship Fund

12/23/2025

Thank you for believing in this mission and helping honor the memory of a woman who exemplified kindness, resilience, and selfless dedication. If you would like to continue supporting this noble cause, please consider donating through www.cfozarks.org/pettit. Every donation, small or large, makes an impact. With immense gratitude—Clay Pettit.

Mary’s story is one that needs to be remembered and honored because it reflects resilience and love. My mom, Mary P. Pettit, was born in El Cerrito, CA, and spent her childhood in Sebastopol, CA, where she grew up surrounded by the farms and small-town charm. She later met my dad, Thomas D. Pettit, while he was stationed at Naval Air Station Alameda during his time in the U.S. Navy in the 1960s. They decided to move to his hometown in Isabella, MO, where they built their life and raised me, my brother Tommy, and, later on, helped raise her grandson, Stephen.

Life wasn’t always easy for Mom. She was scammed out of $54,000 of her retirement fund, made some tough investments, and worked tirelessly managing two jobs to make ends meet. Through all her challenges, she kept a smile on her face and always found time to help Stephen with his homework after her long days at work. She was a constant force of positivity in
our lives, and she never stopped giving everything she had to those around her.

After she passed away in 2020, I created the Mary P. Pettit Memorial Scholarship Fund to honor her love of learning and helping others. This scholarship fund allowed me to turn one of the hardest moments of my life into something meaningful—not just for me, but for the students at Lutie High School in Theodosia, MO.

Lutie High School holds a special place in my heart. It’s full of wonderful teachers who care deeply about their students, though many of those students end up working right after high school, often on their family
farms in the area. For those who dream of attending college or trade school,
finances can be a hurdle. That’s why the Memorial Scholarship is so impactful—it’s there to help bridge the gap and give them a chance at pursuing higher education.

I started setting the scholarship at $500, but by 2025, I’m proud to say it increased to $650 per student. It hasn’t been easy to get to this point. The fund started with just $206.05, and early on, I had to cover
the scholarships myself because there wasn’t enough funding. Then I sold two of
Mom’s properties and one of mine to get the fund to the crucial milestone of
$15,000, making the scholarship endowed and perpetual. It’s fulfilling to see this fund live on and continue helping Lutie students year after year.

Mom’s resilience, her belief in people, and her love of learning inspire me every day, and this scholarship fund ensures her legacy lives on to inspire others, too. If you’d like to donate and be part of this
special project, you can contribute here: www.cfozarks.org/pettit.

Every little bit helps a student in our community get closer to achieving their
dreams of higher education, whether $5 or $500.

12/13/2025

Today, I had the privilege of participating in the Wreaths Across America wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Annually, wreaths are donated, and volunteers devote their time to placing them on the graves of Veterans. With each volunteering experience, my appreciation has grown. My employer, Sourceree Government Solutions, friends, and a fellow Service Member classmate joined me on this occasion. It was particularly meaningful to have two young boys with us and witness them Remember, Honor, and learn to Teach others their age as they expressed gratitude to Service Members for their service while participating.

05/04/2024

Birthday Fundraiser
Mary P. Pettit Memorial Scholarship Fund

Mary’s Birthday Fundraiser for Lutie High School District Graduating Seniors Including Home-Schooled Students Scholarship.

Today is my mother’s birthday, she would have been 86 years young, and was always full of life. She died of COVID IN 2020. Instead of making this day about her death, I choose to use today to give back to the many people who serve our community of Isabella, Theodosia, and southwestern Ozark County Missouri in honor of her.

Please join me in supporting a good cause. I’m raising $10,000 for the only Scholarship just for the Lutie High School R-VI District in Theodosia, MO, in my mother’s name: The Mary P. Pettit Memorial Scholarship. Your contribution will make an impact, whether you donate $5 or $500. Every little bit helps. I’ve included information about the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, a not-for-profit 501c3, and a link to directly donate to the fund.

Ways to donate:

1) www.cfozarks.org/pettit
2) https://gofund.me/d1555c58

3) If online giving isn’t something you are comfortable with, you may also mail a check to:

CFO (Mary P. Pettit Memorial Fund), P.O. Box 8960, Springfield, MO 65801.

4) Drop a check off at Century Bank of the Ozarks (however this method will not result in a tax deductible contribution).

The fund has been established for over two years, and we have awarded three scholarships! Through previous donations and generosity of you and our friends and neighbors, and through the sale of one of my properties and one of her properties, the fund is now at $19,000. The more the fund has, the more scholarships can be in either monetary value or number of scholarships given. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

If you donate directly to the fund you will receive a receipt for a charitable donation that helps Lutie High School District Graduating Seniors or Home-Schoolers attend college or Technical/Vocational school and that honors my mother’s life.

The CFO’s mission (www.cfozarks.org) is to enhance the quality of life in our region through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership.

Thank you for your support.

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks is a public nonprofit foundation serving 58 counties across central and southern Missouri to enhance the quality of life through asset and resource development, grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership.

02/14/2024

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone! 🧡

01/27/2024

Valentine’s Day bracelet sale. Please take a look at my Jewelry store. Profits from sales on this page go to the Mary P Pettit Memorial Scholarship Fund. https://ozarkcomojewelry.etsy.com/listing/1652513472

12/30/2023

Day 4/31 of the plank challenge. Still going strong! Hooah! Loving doing this with purpose.

Clay Pettit
Jess Murphy

12/29/2023

Day 3/31 of the plank challenge. Still going strong. I also did more exercises. It’s a good way to encourage me to do more. Hooah!

12/28/2023

Day 2/31 of the planking challenge. I decided to do 1.5 minutes this morning and will do another 1.5 minutes later today. Same location, different shirt 😉 I also ran in the rain last night. First time in a long time to run in the rain. Hooah!

11/18/2023

It’s such a good feeling to see the Mary Pettit P Memorial Scholarship Fund doing good work in the Lutie R-VI School District High School in the Ozark County community. Even better when you receive a thank you letter from the 2023 scholarship recipient telling you about their gratitude and appreciation for the help attending college and their plans to finish! Thank you to all donors especially the Lutie teachers who have started donating out of their paychecks. You really are dedicated to your students!

Thank you Emily! We wish you great success for your future!

Clay Pettit

http://www.cfozarks.org/pettit