Erle Pettus Jr. ’32

Erle died June 26, 2004.

Born Feb. 12, 1911, in Birmingham, Ala., he attended Philips High School. At Princeton he joined Quadrangle Club.

Following Princeton, Erle attended Duke University Law School and graduated at the top of his class. He then entered private practice in Birmingham. During World War II, he served as intelligence staff officer with the V Corps in the European theater, receiving the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with five Bronze Stars, the Bronze Arrowhead, and the American Defense Service Medal. He served with the Reserve until his retirement as lieutenant colonel.

After the war Erle practiced law in Washington, D.C. In 1947, he met and married Eleanor Agree. In 1949, he returned to Birmingham and joined his father's law firm, Rives, Peterson, Pettus and Conway. He practiced law in Birmingham until his retirement in 1982. Among his many activities, Erle was president of the board of Brooke Hill School, founding director of the Bank of the Southeast, chair of the Birmingham Committee on Foreign Relations, and president of the Sons of the Revolution in the State of Alabama, Birmingham Bar Association, and the St. Andrew's Society.

Eleanor died in 1993. Erle is survived by his daughter, Suzanna Cartmell; sons Erle and Jeffrey; six grandchildren; and one step-grandson. The class extends its sincere sympathy.

The Class of 1932