Lynda Petty

Lynda was born in Chicago, Illinois, on February 24, 1949, and passed away peacefully at home in Saugatuck, Michigan, on October 30, 2025, following a courageous journey with metastatic cancer.

She grew up in Newaygo, Michigan, and later attended Western Michigan University, where she earned a master’s degree in special education. With a heart devoted to the care of others, Lynda began her career teaching students with developmental disabilities in Carbondale, Illinois. In 1975, she transitioned to teaching students with emotional impairments at Forest Hills Northern High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Lynda retired from full-time teaching in 1984, when she and her husband, Joe, co-founded The Park House Bed & Breakfast Inn in Saugatuck. As one of the town’s first innkeepers, Lynda played a pivotal role in shaping the local tourism industry. She founded the Saugatuck Innkeeper’s Association and the Grand Escape weekends that expanded the town’s tourism beyond the summer months. She also helped establish Saugatuck’s Sparkle committee, creators of the town’s annual Christmas ornament tradition, and later launched Innkeeping Consultants, a training and resource program for aspiring innkeepers. A true hospitality entrepreneur, Lynda also started Saugatuck Hideaway Vacation Rentals, through which she managed 13 local vacation rentals —long before platforms like Airbnb and VRBO became household names.

Lynda's passion for hospitality extended beyond U.S. borders when she opened Casa Mirador Bed & Breakfast in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, which she and Joe joyfully ran for over two decades. After retiring from innkeeping, they built a beautiful home in Las Juntas y Los Veranos, where Lynda continued her dedication to education by volunteering to teach English at the local elementary school.

During the summer months, Lynda and Joe lived aboard their houseboat at the Newaygo Boat Club on the Muskegon River. She also volunteered with Wishbone Pet Rescue Alliance in Saugatuck, fostering and preparing more than 20 dogs for adoption. When not giving back to her communities, Lynda found joy in reading, gardening, and cooking.

Lynda was preceded in death by her parents, Louis and Connie (Conrad) Larson; her husband of 50 years, Joseph Petty; and her beloved brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Patrick and Sharon (Petty) Mooney.

She is survived by her sister, Laurel Larson (Joe Gorka); daughters, Jody Bolhuis (Ryan Lark), Heather Petty-Weston, and Tisha Petty; grandsons, Zachary and Jared Bolhuis, Dorian and Odin Weston; and great-grandson, Jettson Bolhuis. Lynda also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews, several special women who lovingly called her “mom,” and her beloved rescue dog, Peanut.

Lynda gave generously of herself to everyone one she met – from the children she educated, to the animals she cared for, to the many guests who returned year after year, often becoming lifelong friends. Her legacy of kindness, hospitality, and service will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.

A joint celebration of life honoring Lynda and her husband Joe, who passed just 10 days prior, will be held this summer at a date and time to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Wishbone Pet Rescue Alliance or Benjamin’s Hope in honor of Lynda’s life and generous spirit.