Although most of today’s Petalumans of Yesteryear moved to Petaluma from some place else in the 1990s, there is one who was born in Petaluma, moved away, but then came home.
Mildred King (Addie Atwater), moved back to Petaluma in 1993. As a high school student, living in Petaluma, Millie was always in the Honor Society and helped teachers correct papers. She also played the piano in Sunday School and tended small children so their parents could attend church. During World War II, Millie joined the Methodist Youth Group that set up games and pot luck meals for soldiers from local camps on weekends. After the war, she left Petaluma to attend U.C. Berkeley where she volunteered to help a fellow student, who was partially blind, with her class notes and home work. She also helped students from foreign countries with language problems,
After Millie was married with two small children, she set up a program where mothers earned credit baby sitting so they could get free baby sitting services. In retirement, she returned to Petaluma (1993), and became involved as a docent for the Historical Museum, working as a docent trainer, setting up work hours and giving downtown tours. As one of the Petalumans of Yesteryear, Millie participated in cemetery tours, adult school history classes, and presentations to community groups like Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce’s leadership classes. She is also a member of the Petaluma Woman’s Club and the American Association of University Women (AAUW).
Barbara Harden (Ida Belle McNear) has served the Petaluma community as a volunteer since her arrival in 1995, in many ways. For example: As a Garden Club member, she was in charge of programs, tours, and secretary (each for one year). She also served as club president for two years. In addition to being a school child mentor for three years, she took an elderly lady, who was in PEP Housing out for lunch and a drive in the country every week for four years. She is a Petaluma Museum Docent and gives tours of the Petaluma Historic Downtown District monthly from May to October. Barbara has also been serving as a judge of “Youth Art” at the annual Sonoma Marin Fair.
