Obituary of Isaiah Ian Pettipas

PETTIPAS, Isaiah Ian – Age 16, of Elmwood, Lunenburg Co., died in the Q.E. II Hospital – Infirmary Site, Halifax, on Sunday, August 31, 2025, after a valiant battle to overcome his injuries from a motor vehicle accident. He was born on October 3, 2008, in Bridgewater, the eldest son of Ian and Jeanette (Crouse) Pettipas.

Isaiah was a young man of many interests and talents. Isaiah first showed his love of using anything with wheels at a young age, building his first "bike ramp" out of plywood while he still had training wheels on his bicycle. Over time he graduated to a mountain bike, then a motorized bike, then his first dirt bike which he spent many hours driving and learned to do wheelies on (although he never told Mom about it until afterwards). Eventually Isaiah got his first car, which he was immensely proud of and spent many hours working on to get it just perfect. As soon as he got his license he wanted to drive everywhere and often talked about planning trips where he would be able to drive to different places and see the sights. Although he had not yet had any formal training or instruction, he was exceptionally skilled at working with motors and all things mechanical. He was happiest when his hands were full of grease and he had the determination to see any project through to completion, no matter how difficult. Although Isaiah was signed up to take the Truck and Transport course at NSCC following high school, he ultimately planned to one day follow in his grandfather's footsteps and become a lobster fisherman. He loved being on the ocean and was a great help on any fishing trips he went on.

Isaiah grew up in the country and loved the things that went with that. He learned to hunt with his Dad and shot his first buck with the crossbow. He enjoyed fishing in the lake and surrounding waterways, even making some of his own fishing lures. He loved exploring the trails around his home on his dirt bike or the 4-wheeler. He helped his family grow a vegetable garden and raise chickens, turkeys and pigs. He loved his dog Chief and his cat Nala. He loved his home and appreciated the quiet life where he lived.

Isaiah had a gift for being able to "pull a rabbit out of his hat", when he would sometimes leave things that should have been done to the last minute, but then still do well. He could write a speech for the 4H public speaking competition at night and win the competition the next morning. Just this summer he completed his 4H welding projects the night before the exhibition and won grand champion in the county the next day. Whenever someone would tell him he was lucky in these circumstances, he would reply with a smile "that's not luck, that's skill".

Isaiah had an excellent sense of humour. He could deliver a joke so cleverly that it would almost pass you by, but once it registered you could not stop laughing. He was good at pointing out the humour in everyday things where others might miss it. He liked a good practical joke... and loved to chase his mother with spiders. Isaiah was very talented at drawing and painting from a very young age. Isaiah was not much into organized sports, but he enjoyed downhill skiing, he was an excellent swimmer (although it was difficult to coax him into wearing swimming trunks as he got older), and he was a strong member of the Lunenburg County 4H Tug-of-War team. He also proved he could run like the wind recently while trying to catch his brother Ira (after Ira played a trick on him).

Isaiah was a big brother to Ira and Avalon and being so close in age they all grew up together. There was lots of mischief of course, and lots of laughter. Like most siblings there were fights between them, but when it came right down to it he was their greatest defender. Isaiah was an extremely likeable guy. He had many good friends and enjoyed hanging out with them whenever he could. He also loved to spend time with his girlfriend Rachel, who truly had his heart.

Isaiah’s family always knew he would make a difference in this world. They never dreamed his life would be cut so short, but Isaiah accomplished things in his short life that some never managed over a much longer time. Isaiah was a hard-working, sensible and caring person who earned the respect of most anyone he interacted with. Isaiah left an enduring legacy not only with his life lived, but as an organ donor, he left a lasting legacy in the five lives that he forever changed with his gifts.

Surviving are his siblings, Ira and Avalon, both at home; paternal grandparents, Everett “Bub” and Susan “Patsy” (Slaunwhite) Pettipas, Terence Bay; maternal grandmother, Shirley Crouse (Richard Snyder), New Germany; his girlfriend, Rachel Lowe, Lower Northfield; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family members.

 He was predeceased by his maternal grandfather, James Crouse.

Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m., Saturday, September 6, 2025, at Sweeny’s Funeral Home, 35 York Street, Bridgewater. Funeral service will be held 2 p.m., Sunday, September 7, 2025, in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 25 Phoenix Street, Bridgewater. Rev. Catherine Robar officiating. A public interment will follow in Maple Grove Cemetery, West Northfield. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Brain Injury Association of Nova Scotia (www.braininjuryns.com) or St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, West Northfield. Online condolences and messages may be made by visiting www.sweenysfuneralhome.com.