Mildred T. Pettit

Laura Mildred Tanner Pettit was a composer and is best known for her songs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her friend, Naomi W. Randall mailed her lyrics to “I Am a Child of God” and Pettit set them to music. The song is known and revered throughout the Church. Pettit also composed “Reverently, Quietly” and “Father, I Will Reverent Be,” which are included in the Children's Songbook and “The Light Divine,” hymn number 305 in the 1985 Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Pettit was born on August 8, 1895, in Payson, Utah. 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.

Pettit was called to be a member of Primary general board in 1932. The board wrote teaching materials and music for use in the Church throughout the world. She published over 50 songs and 4 operettas.

In 1936, she moved to South Pasadena with her husband, Dr. William Alfred Pettit, and served in the PTA. 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.

She died on April 9, 1977, in Pasadena, California.