Robert Edward Petty, known as "Bobby", age 39, died Wednesday, December 11th, 2024, of a heart attack at his home. He was born March 23rd,1985 in Tulsa, OK, the son of Maureen and Robert "Scott" Petty.

Bobby attended Monte Cassino School and graduated from Cascia Hall Preparatory School in 2003. For college he attended his dream school, Cornell University, in Ithaca, NY. Bobby was a gold honor roll student each year and graduated from high school as a National Merit Scholar. He excelled in foreign language and was President of the German Club at Cascia Hall, where he was awarded the gold medal at graduation. He received a perfect score two years in a row on the National German Exam and participated in the German Immersion Program where he studied abroad with a host family and attended German Public High School.

Bobby was a huge baseball fan and cheered for the Tulsa Drillers and the New York Yankees. He started playing in kindergarten and enjoyed his dad coaching his teams throughout all his Elementary and Middle School years. He went on to play varsity baseball in grades 9-12 at Cascia, as a four-year letterman and was selected All-Metro Baseball Team Honorable Mention his junior year.

Bobby was an accomplished musician who played the viola for Tulsa Youth Symphony and the bass for Cascia's pep band. He was the composer of "Infinite Justice" and had a great time playing at all of the football games. He volunteered as an Altar Server for 10 years at Holy Family and enjoyed making and delivering lunches to the Tulsa Day Center for Homeless with his family. Bobby was a PEZ collector, affectionately known as "Pezpal." He bought, sold, and traded PEZ as the largest dealer in Oklahoma. He founded, edited and published the PEZZER International Newsletter and Tulsa World featured him in a front page spread writing about his newsletter, personal PEZ collection and online business.

In addition to his many accomplishments and interesting endeavors, Bobby had a marvelously dry sense of humor and always made people laugh. As remarkable as his first 19 years were, the second half of his life was an incredibly difficult time for Bobby's health, and he courageously and quietly battled a debilitating mental illness for 20 years with the unwavering support of his family. He will be forever remembered and adored by all of them for his gentle spirit, wonderful wit, brilliant mind and brave heart. Bobby loved God and placed his Catholic faith, our country and his family above all else.

Bobby was preceded in death by his grand-parents Mary and Ed Daley and Lea and Robert "Bob" Petty. He is survived by his parents Maureen and Scott Petty of Tulsa; his sisters Allison Lauinger and husband, Mark, of Tulsa, and Whitney Mason and husband, Jim, of Fairhope, AL; and 6 nieces and nephews, Sophie, Daley and Hayes Lauinger and Will, Finn, and Emery Mason.

A Rosary will be held at 7pm on Sunday, December 22nd at Holy Family Cathedral. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10am on Monday, December 23rd at Holy Family Cathedral.

In lieu of flowers, friends may honor Bobby with memorial donations to Cascia Hall.

Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel, 918-585-1151