Mr. Grady "Fat" Petty, Jr., 85, of Sanford, North Carolina entered into eternal rest on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at Westfield Rehabilitation & Health Center, Sanford, North Carolina.  

Mr. Grady Petty Jr., 85, of Sanford, NC, entered eternal rest on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at Westfield Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Sanford, North Carolina.

He was born on February 25, 1940, to the late Grady Petty Sr. and Martha Taylor Petty. From an early age, Grady carried responsibilities that would shape the man he became. Stepping into the role of provider at a young age, he helped care for his mother and younger siblings with strength, resolve, and maturity beyond his years. A man of few words and steadfast convictions, he was a  master woodsman whose skilled hands turned the forest into logs and firewood, providing for his family and community. His life was defined by strength, integrity, and a legacy of hard work that  will be remembered by all who knew and loved him.

Affectionately known to many as “Fat,” a nickname given in love and carried with familiarity throughout the years, he was a man whose presence was both strong and unforgettable. Those who  called him by that name did so with respect and endearment-a reflection of the close bonds he formed over a lifetime.

Four brothers, George E. Locklear, Charlie M. Petty, James M. Petty, and Robert L. Petty, and two sisters, Margaret A. Petty and Mary E. Redwine, preceded Grady in death.

He leaves to cherish his precious memory, his two sons, Paul G. Allen (Venus) and Grady Petty III (Samara); one daughter, Ernestine Cole (Stacy); five grandchildren, Terry Tabon, Porsha Newby- Allen, Princeton Nixon, Brenden Hartshorne, and Myles Anderson; one sister, Lucille Trusell; one sister-in-law, Hattie A. Petty; two special nieces, Pastor Cynthia Williams and Cecilia Petty-McNeill; along with a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and dear friends.

Special thank you to Westfield Rehabilitation and Health Care Center and Liberty Hospice for their exceptional care, compassion, and dedication. Your kindness, professionalism, and support truly made a difference, and our family is forever grateful.

Please keep the family and friends of Mr. Grady Petty, Jr. name in your thoughts and prayers. 

Arrangements are entrusted to McLeod Funeral Home of Sanford, North Carolina.