Frances Mae Pettit of Custer, SD, passed away Saturday, May 26, 2018, at the age of 88, surrounded by family.

Fran was born January 25, 1930, in Hill City, SD, to Florence and Roy Belmont.  She was the third child and oldest girl, earning the nickname of "Sister" or "Sis".  After graduating Hill City High School in 1948, she attended Spearfish Normal earning a teaching certificate.  The next year she taught 1-8 grade at the Slate Creek School near Mystic.  That summer she married Louis "Punk" Pettit on June 5, 1949.  They lived in various communities while in the Black Hills, settling in Custer in 1957.  They had 3 daughters, Janet, Pamela and Nancy.  While raising the daughters, being a homemaker, and working outside her home, she enjoyed working with several local service organizations, including Eastern Star, VFW Auxiliary, Senior Citizens, Job's Daughters, church activities, Food Panty and Gold Discovery Days committees.  Fran was a bookkeeper at the Custer Lumber Company before retiring from the Finance Division at the Black Hills National Forest in 1993.

Fran enjoyed her family and gatherings in her home.  She traveled with Punk from coast to coast visiting family and seeing the sights.  Her summers were often filled with grandchildren and gardening.  Free time was spent crocheting, sewing and baking.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Louis "Punk" Pettit; parents, Florence and Roy Belmont; sisters, Pat Smith and Noreene Guiser; and brothers, Calvin and Milo "Bud" Belmont; and step-granddaughter Debra Hammond.

Fran is survived by her daughters, Janet (Darryl) Reindl; Pamela Pettit; and Nancy (Chris) Budden; grandchildren, Staci, Travis, Sara, Tamara, Thayne and Will; step-grandchildren, Jeanne and Jessie; 17 great grandchildren; sisters, Nadine Henschel and Linda Hiermeier; and brother, William Belmont.

Celebration of Life will be held 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, June 5, 2018, at the Custer Community Church.  A luncheon will follow.  Burial will be at a later date.