Park Ranger Faithe Pettis

As she nears her first year mark in the South Carolina State Park Service, Ranger Faithe Pettis is living her dream of being a park ranger. In September 2019, Ranger Pettis began working at Oconee State Park soon after completing her degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of South Carolina Upstate.  Being a lover of the outdoors, she made the decision that being a park ranger would be a perfect fit and described it as, “a dream that ended up coming true sooner than I ever imagined.”

Prior to working at Oconee State Park, Ranger Pettis worked at the South Carolina Botanical Gardens and Riverbanks Zoo. Through those experiences, she learned how to operate equipment, outdoor maintenance and upkeep, as well as, how to create memorable moments for guests. “I want every visitor at Oconee to enjoy the park, and I love when I get to help make their visit extra special,” she said. 

Ranger Pettis currently lives in Seneca, South Carolina and is the pet-mom to two bunnies named Raine and Thor, two rats named Maisie and Casper and a gerbil named Draco. Over the last ten months Ranger Pettis said that, “like many of our park guests, the hardest thing I had to deal with was the park closure this past April. One of my favorite visitors called right as we closed and I hated having to tell her that she wouldn’t be able to bring her dog, Jr. Ranger Trouble, on their daily walks.” Despite some of the hard moments, she was able to remember some funny moments, like scaring herself – in the haunted house she helped design for the park. “Not only did I manage to scare myself that one time, but several other times as well whenever scary decorations had to be moved around,” she said. 

When asked to sum up being a park ranger in one phrase, she said, “Overcome and adapt. In this job, you never know what a typical day is going to be like. Each day you never know what challenges you will be faced with. With each new challenge, you must overcome the difficulties presented and adapt to the situation, to problem solve and ensure the best outcome possible.”  

It is because of park rangers like Faithe, who continuously overcome and adapt, that visitors are able to enjoy our beautiful state parks. Thank you Ranger Faithe Pettis for all of your hard work!