Gilbert Petty Dies; Was Teamster, Inventor

Gilbert "Gib" Petty invented a stationary bicycle. He also came up with a heat-pump home heating system and many other gadgets.

But he never applied for a patent. That would have been too expensive on his Teamster business-agent's pay, said his daughter.

"He did many different things," said June Cornett of Kingston, Kitsap County. "He was a lot of fun, and always had a joke to tell."

Mr. Petty died of heart failure Sunday (April 20). He was 83.

Aside from inventing things, he self-published a book, "A Clean Sweep," about his World War II experiences aboard a Navy minesweeper. He made jewelry from the metal of a kamikaze plane that had dived on his ship. He also carved totem poles.

"Our house was kind of a landmark in Kingston," said Cornett. "People would say, `Look for the house with the totem poles, and turn right.' He gave a totem pole to the fire department here and they put it up in front of the station."

Born in Pensaukee, Wis., Mr. Petty learned to fix machinery and make parts while working on farms and in logging camps. Given a bicycle with only wheel rims, he hung it from barn rafters and "rode" it there until he had enough money for tires.

In World War II he served on the minesweeper USS Champion in the Pacific. Later he held several jobs, the longest as a union business agent. In 1968 he retired to his Seattle residence. In 1979 he moved to Kingston.

Other survivors include his wife of 49 years, Zelda Petty, of Kingston; his son, William Roberts, Los Angeles; his sisters in Wisconsin, Dorothy Grosse, Lulu May Darr, Blessie Hooten and June Zugner; four grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Services have been held.