Star News (Pasadena, CA.) – October 9, 1970
Dr. Pettit Services Saturday

Funeral services for Dr. William Alfred Pettit, who died Tuesday at the age of 80, will be held from the South Pasadena Second ward Church at 10 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Rose Hills Cemetery, Whittier.

He was the 14th child and the fourth son of Edwin Pettit (b. Feb. 16, 1834 in Hempstead, NY and d. Apr.17, 1924 in Salt Lake City, UT.) and Rebecca Hood Hill of Salt Lake City, Utah, who were among the earliest Mormon pioneers to cross the plains to the Great Salt Lake Valley.

Dr. Pettit was well known for his work among the blind, having served as a member of the board of trustees of the Braille Institute of America. He served as a state ophthalmologist from 1938 to 1960, three years after he retired from private practice as an ophthalmologist in Los Angeles, where he maintained an office from 1936 until 1957.

His education included the Grant School in Salt Lake City, University of Utah Engineering, where he received his B.A. degree; the Medico Chirurgical College in Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania Medical School where he received his medical degree.

In 1920, he entered the general practice of medicine in Salt Lake City and soon married Laura Mildred Tanner. He also served as instructor in anatomy, history and embryology at the University to Utah Medical School. He was city epidemiologist from 1922 until 1930; he was medical director of the School of Nurses and held other medical positions there.

In 1934, he returned to the University of Pennsylvania to do post graduate work in ophthalmology and from there he came to California.

In church work, he served in a mission to Switzerland and France from 1908 until 1911. Among many other church positions he held, he served as president of the Pasadena Stake from 1940 through 1950, as chairman of the Southern California Regional Welfare Council, and patriarch to the Pasadena Stake since 1960.

Since his retirement, he has written the history of the Pettit family which he traced back to 654 A.D.

Besides his widow at the family home at 1620 Marengo Ave., So. Pasadena, he leaves four sons, Dr. William Alfred Pettit Jr., Dr. John Tanner Pettit, Dr. Thomas Henry Pettit, Edwin Ray Pettit; their daughter, Mrs. Dorothy Maxfield; and 24 grandchildren.

In his Sept. 3, 1908 U.S. passport application, 18 yr. old William Alfred Pettit, a student, was living in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was described as 6'1 3/4" tall, with a broad forehead, blue eyes, a slightly pug nose, a medium mouth, round chin, light brown hair, fair complexion and a medium long face.

In his May 31, 1917 WWI Draft Registration card, 27 yr. old William Alfred Pettit was listed as a first year medical student. He was described as tall, with dark blue eyes and brown hair.

On Apr. 20. 1921, William married Laura Mildred Tanner in Salt Lake City.

William and Laura (Tanner) Pettit have five children:
1) William Alfred Pettit Jr.,
2) John Tanner Pettit, b. Aug. 2, 1923 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, UT. and d. Dec. 29, 1986 in Los Angeles, L.A., CA. John marr. __ Hibbits.
3) Edwin Ray Pettit, b. Jun. 30, 1925 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, UT. and d. Dec. 29, 1989 in Los Angeles, L.A., CA.
4) Thomas Henry MD Pettit, b. Jan. 20, 1929 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, UT. and d. Mar. 10, 2005 in Provo, UT. Thomas is buried in East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery. Provo, UT.
5) Dorothy Ann Pettit, b. Aug. 27, 1931 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, UT. and d. Aug. 24/25, 2005. She marr. __ Maxfield. Her last address was Everett, WA.

In the 1930 U.S. census, Alfred, Laura and their four sons were living at 1057 Fourth St. in Salt Lake City, UT.