Maurice and Jatoria Pettus

Misfortune to Matrimony

Maurice and Jatoria Pettus are firm believers that “All things work together for the good of them that love God.” Who would have thought the Lord would permit what most would call misfortune to usher them into the holy institution of marriage? Jatoria recalls the sad passing of her cousin and how she went to a friend’s house for comfort. Little did she know, God used this occasion to introduce Jatoria to her future husband. Maurice’s brother just so happened to be a friend of the friend Jatoria went to visit. Jatoria was spellbound by the exceeding level of sincere concern, comfort and empathy that Maurice had for her during her time of bereavement.

The two began dating for a total of two years and built an awesome friendship. Maurice shares that their first date was at Applebee’s. That evening, he fell in love with her jovial spirit and awesome sense of humor. What once began as a friendship, blossomed into an awesome relationship. Jatoria says, “He was always so encouraging, reliable, sensitive and filled with so much wisdom. I learned so much from just being around him.” It was inevitable that they would marry. Pastor Brian D. Hunter joined Maurice and Jatoria Pettus in holy matrimony on July 16, 2011.

The Functioning Family

The two became one and have been fruitful ever since. To their union, God added little Maurissa Pettus. She is a beautiful 3-year-old girl with a wealth of energy. The entire family can be seen at Berkeley Mt. Zion each Sunday during the 8 A.M. service worshipping the Lord together. They also enjoy the simple things in life like visiting family, shopping and just being together. Jatoria is a bus operator for MV Transportation and Maurice is the dedicated Manager of General Auto Parts in Oakland. Together, they build and maintain a house that has become a home.

What’s Cooking?

Maurice proudly boasts about how he finds Jatoria to be a very rare flower. “She is down to earth. She does not gossip and is truly the perfect mate for me.” When asked what they believe the key ingredients are for a healthy marriage, Jatoria stated, “Love, honor, and trust are what it takes. We have learned over time to work together no matter what. I married a man with a lot of wisdom. He is older than me and I thank God for his experiences and things he has learned along the way. These previous lessons make our family strong as he leads us.” Finally, Maurice fully supports his wife’s dream to enroll back in school as she desires to study radiology and earn her degree. With God and their unfailing love for one another, this dream will definitely come into fruition.