Star News (Pasadena, CA.) – April 16, 1977
Rites held for Mrs. Pettit, 81

A funeral service for Mrs. Laura Mildred Tanner Pettit, 81, whose service to her family, church and community continued well into her 80th year, were held Tuesday at the South Pasadena Ward Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mrs. Pettit, born Aug. 9, 1895 in Payson, Utah, died April 9 in Pasadena. She created "Back-to-School Night", a program to give parents an opportunity to learn first-hand about their children's school activities.

Her father, Henry Smith Tanner, was the first city judge in Salt Lake City and her mother, Laura Lauretta Woodland, was the first woman to serve in the Utah State Legislature and the first state president of the PTA. All of Mrs. Pettit's grandparents were pioneers on the famed Mormon trek.

In 1932, Mrs. Pettit was called to be a member of General Board of the Primary, a board comprised of women who wrote teaching materials and music for use in the Mormon Church throughout the world. Through the years, some 50 of her songs and four operettas were published. Her best known son was "I Am A Child of God,' which has been printed in every language where the Mormon church exist.

She moved to South Pasadena in 1936 and soon became a leader in the local and district PTA, serving 14 years. In 1942, she wrote the 50th anniversary pageant, "Golden Jubilee", for the PTA and it was produced in the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse with 1,200 school children participating.

Her husband, Dr. William Alfred Pettit, who died six years ago, was named president of the Pasadena Stake in 1940. In that position, he presided over 10 churches or Wards,

When Mrs. Pettit was elected president of the Relief Society of South Pasadena, she made a survey and found many children were sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags because they had no beds. From this survey, she developed a quilting project that produced some 300 quilts for those in need.

She is survived by four sons: Dr. William A. Pettit Jr., ophthalmologist of Pasadena; Dr. John T. Pettit, corporate director of the Summa Corp.; Edwin Ray Pettit, and Dr. Thomas H. Pettit, and a daughter, Dorothy Ann Pettit Maxfield.