Obituaries

Joseph Pettiford

Joseph Pettiford of Riverhead died Sept. 29 at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead. He was 70. 

The son of Joseph and Jessie Mae Pettiford, he was born Nov. 20, 1945, in Darlington, S.C. He attended Mayo High School in South Carolina.

Mr. Pettiford worked as a bus driver for the Riverhead Central School District and as security supervisor at PBMC. He retired from both jobs in 2006.

Surviving are his wife, Cynthia (née Woodson); his son, Bernard, of Georgia; his stepchildren, Gearry Sookbirsingh of Poland, Jason Sookbirsingh of Pennsylvania, Darryl Sookbirsingh of Riverhead, Breannah Coffey of Riverhead and Courtney Riddick of Riverhead; his mother, Jessie Mae, of South Carolina; his brother, Raymond, of South Carolina; and five grandchildren.

The family will receive visitors Tuesday, Oct. 4,  from 10 to 11 a.m. at McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home in Riverhead, where a funeral service will immediately follow. Interment will be at Riverhead Cemetery.