David Lynn Petty

David Petty was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and lived a life defined by curiosity, craftsmanship, faith, and an uncommon drive to excel at whatever he set his hand to. He was preceded in death by his older brother, Lowell “Wayne” Petty, and by his beloved daughter, Marcia, who passed away from cancer on May 10, 2022.

In the summer of 1950, David’s parents purchased a 38-acre farm near Abington, Indiana—20 acres of woods and 18 acres of tillable land. It was there that David learned the value of hard work and self-reliance, tending animals, plowing fields, and constructing outbuildings by hand. These early lessons shaped the rest of his life.

As a young man, David pursued correspondence courses in photography and in television and radio repair. After graduating from high school, he opened his own TV and radio repair shop, quickly building a successful business. He later sold the shop and became an insurance underwriter for INA in Richmond, Indiana, where he met Linda. They married in 1960 and welcomed two children: Marcia in 1962 and Jeff in 1964.

INA later transferred David to Indianapolis, covering all moving expenses—a reflection of his valued work. After several years, David changed careers again, joining Sears as a carpet salesman. There, his natural talent shone: he consistently led his sales team in volume and performance.

In 1976, David left Sears and, with the help of his wife and children, built a house largely by hand—a testament to his determination and skill. He and Linda later divorced in 1980.

David went on to work for the Photography Corporation of America (PCA), where he once again distinguished himself. In his first year, he won a nationwide company award for greatest sales, followed the next year by an award for the greatest percentage increase over the prior year.

A lifelong dream of David’s was to visit every state in the U.S. When he set his goal, there were only 48 states, and he proudly drove to every one of them.

David later joined Radio Shack, where he became the top seller nationwide. He was trained for management and was soon given his own store. His working life came to an abrupt end when he was severely injured in a car accident, struck from behind by a truck traveling at 40 miles per hour while he was stopped at a traffic light. He retired on disability thereafter.

Interwoven through David’s professional life was an extraordinary passion for photography and railroads. As a freelance photographer in the 1970s, his tornado photographs were published above the fold on the front page of both The Indianapolis Star and the Daily Journal.

David had a lifelong love of trains and model railroading. He designed and built his own highly regarded model railroad layouts. This started with childhood layouts, then the BUD Lines, and evolved into a much larger layout: Dave Petty's Midwest Central. He participated in national layout tours, welcoming visitors from across the country and as far away as Australia. He wrote extensively about the hobby, illustrating his own articles, and was published from 1977 through the 2010s in national magazines including Model Railroader, Railroad Model Craftsman, N-Scale, and others. His photographs appeared on magazine covers seven or eight times, and it is estimated that more than 800 of his model railroad photos were published.

In 1980, David founded the Central Indiana N-TRAK model railroad club (CINTRAK), serving as its first president. He also designed the CINTRAK logo, which is still in use today. The club continues as part of his enduring legacy.

David was a man of faith and service. He served for many years as a deacon at Southport Presbyterian Church and taught Sunday School, quietly giving of his time and wisdom.

David Petty’s life was marked by creativity, perseverance, generosity, and excellence. Whether building a home, mastering a new profession, teaching others, or crafting miniature worlds of rail and landscape, he lived fully and left a lasting impression on all who knew him. He is survived by his son, Jeff, and by the many friends, colleagues, students, and fellow enthusiasts whose lives he touched.

*Permission granted by The IndyStar for use of included article