Luther Petty Jr.; Restaurateur Founded Oil Firm
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Luther Petty Jr. of Ventura, who owned restaurants in Ventura, Ojai and Oxnard before founding an oil recovery company, died Friday while in Mexico. He was 69.
Petty was born in Webbers Falls, Okla., on Aug. 30, 1923, and moved to Ventura County in 1940. After serving a stint in the U. S. Army, he returned to Ventura, and opened a series of restaurants.
During his years as a restaurateur, Petty operated the Light House and Chili Bowl in Ventura, The Wheel in Ojai and the Alternate Inn in Oxnard. He was active in the Downtown Lions Club in Ventura during the 1950s.
Petty later became involved in the county’s oil business, starting PUBCO, a company that specialized in recovering oil from abandoned wells.
Survivors include a son, Terry Lee Petty of Ventura; his mother, Violet Petty of Farmersville, Calif., six brothers, Vernon of Chocktow, Okla., Charles of Stayton, Ore., Davidand Edward, both of Farmersville, Calif., Harry of Pinole, Calif., and Dennis of Visalia; four sisters, Verbel Parker and Yvonne Womack, both of Farmersville, Calif., Donna Phillips of Tucson, Ariz. and Janet Harris of Exeter, Calif.; and three grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, Ventura.
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