ERNA PETTIT, age 29, died Tuesday afternoon at St. Mary's hospital. Surviving are her husband, JOSEPH PETTIT; two daughters, MARY ANN and VIRGINIA; a son, JOSEPH; her parents, MR. AND MRS. AUGUST P. SCHMIDT; four sister, MRS. LOUIS[E] ESCH, MRS. LEONA LANDGREN, MRS. ANNA BROWN and MRS. ROSE TOBIN, and a brother, RUDOLPH SCHMIDT. The body will be taken to the residence, 13 National Ave. N.W., Wednesday afternoon. Funeral announced later.

GRAND RAPIDS HERALD, Grand Rapids, Mich., Wed., May 15, 1929, Pg. 3, Column 4 (Obituary)

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MRS. ERNA PETTIT - Funeral services for Mrs. Erna PETTIT will be held at St. Mary's church Friday morning at 9 o'clock. Burial in Mt. Calvary cemetery.

GRAND RAPIDS HERALD, Grand Rapids, Mich., Thurs., May 16, 1929, Pg. 3, Column 4 (Obituary)

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PETTIT - We wish to thank the relatives, friends, Hayes Body Corp., and Knights of Columbus for the sympathy shown during our recent bereavement; also those who sent floral offerings and donated their cars.

Joseph Pettit and Family.
Mr. and Mrs. August Schmidt.
Mrs. Leona Landgren.
Mrs. Edw. Esch.
Mrs. Joseph Tobin.
Mrs. George Brown.
Rudolph Schmidt.

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS, Grand Rapids, Mich., Sat., May 18, 1929, Pg. 22, Col. 7, Art. 6 (Cards of Thanks)

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NOTE: According to Erna's death certificate, her cause of death was Chr. Myocarditis - Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy.

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TO WED IN SPRING.

Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Schmidt of National-av. announce the engagement of their daughters, Erna Serena, to Joseph J. Pettit of this city. The wedding will take place in early spring.

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS, Grand Rapids, Mich., Mon., February 27, 1922, Pg. 11, Col. 4, Art. 11 (Social Affairs - To Wed in Spring.)

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KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN, MARRIAGE RECORDS (1922), Record No. 15017 - JOSEPH J. PETTIT & ERNA S. SCHMIDT, married 19 April 1922, Grand Rapids, Kent Co., MI. JOSEPH (Salesman), b. Grand Rapids, is the son of JOHN L. PETTIT & ANNA STERNBACH [STEINEBACH]. ERNA, b. Grand Rapids, is the daughter of AUGUST P. SCHMIDT & ANNA WINZIG. Married by John J. Riess, Clergyman. Witnesses: August Busch & Isabelle Lewis, both of Grand Rapids.

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"A little background on your parents, they loved each other dearly. No wedding photographs that I can recall, in fact we had none either. Photography was not a popular hobby. Remember the following are a teenager's impressions.

Your mother [ERNA SERENA (SCHMIDT) PETTIT] was very friendly, carefree, an extrovert, laughed easily, great company.

I admired and loved her, she was like an older sister, I spent nights with her, when Joe was traveling, she treated me with hot fudge sundaes, let me wear her clothes.

She was beautiful inside and outside. Your father [JOSEPH JEROME PETTIT, SR.] was more of an introvert, embarrassed by emotions, a born athlete, won the City Title in tennis, very immature.

He also was very charming, the life of the party type, wonderful physique, very mischievous as a child, generous, smart and at the time very successful. He had a good job with Standard Oil. They moved to Kalamazoo, I spent many week ends with them, you were a baby and I'm sure I spoiled you rotten.

My mother [ANNA (STEINEBACH) PETTIT] committed a cardinal sin when she married an Irishman [JOHN LEO PETTIT], the German relatives never accepted him and in turn he hated them . They never spoke in English in front of him, he loved my grandmother [MARY (VOGT) STEINEBACH], who was an unforgettable character you read about in Reader's Digest. Nobody was more tolerant, she found only good in everybody.

Yes, your father was in Kalamazoo [State Mental Hospital] for Alcoholism, there was no knowledge or treatment available at that time for this disease, it was a vice. The more you read and learn about this illness, the better you will understand your father and his actions."

Excerpts of a LETTER from MARIE ROSINE (PETTIT) BROCKWAY to her niece, VIRGINIA ELIZABETH (PETTIT) CRONK, 28 August 1977

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CLASS ELECTION.

The 1928 graduating class of the ALBA BEAUTY ACADEMY elected the following officers Thursday evening at the studio: President, Mrs. Burkie M. Norris of Detroit; vice president, Miss Fern Davis of Battle Creek; treasurer, Miss Nellie B. Ringler, Elk Rapids; assistant treasurer, Miss Martha M. Thelen of Fowler, and secretary, MRS. ERNA S. PETTIT, Grand Rapids.

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS, Grand Rapids, Mich., Sat., Apr. 14, 1928, Pg. 7, Col. 3, Art. 5 (Class Election.)

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BEAUTY CULTURE SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT TUESDAY

Graduation exercises for a class of 67 from the ALBA ACADEMY OF BEAUTY CULTURE will be held Tuesday evening in the English room of the Rowe hotel. This class, the first of the present year, comprises students from all sections of the state. Grand Rapids members number 44.

Speakers Tuesday at the exercises, which will start at 7 o'clock, will be Mayor Elvin Swarthout, K.G. Smith, state supervisor of industrial instruction: A.B. Thompson, jr., who will speak on sanitation and sterilization, and Dr. Earl Smith, who will give an illustrated lecture on skin and scalp. A banquet and dance will be held after the exercises.

Officers of the graduating class are: President, Mrs. M.B. Norris of Detroit; vice president, Miss Fern B. Davis of Battle Creek; secretary, MRS. ERNA PETTIT of Grand Rapids; treasurers, Miss Martha Thelen of Fowler and Miss Nellie Ringler of Elk Rapids.

The school was started by Mme. Judiette three years ago in two small rooms on Division-av. Now the academy is housed in the Gilbert block. It was the first licensed beauty shop in the state and now claims to be the largest. To qualify for graduation the student must have to his or her credit not less than 675 hours of schooling and instruction and must have credit for working on 1,000 customers and one week of shop management. The faculty of the school is trained personally by Mme. Judiette, who formerly was a lecturer in beauty culture schools throughout the country.

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS, Grand Rapids, Mich., Thurs., May 10, 1928, Pg. 13, Col. 7, Art. 2 (Beauty Culture School Commencement Tuesday)

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OFFICIAL RECORD OF TRAFFIC CASES

Police traffic officers announced Tuesday the following paid fees for violation of laws governing operation of motorcars:

MRS. J.J. PETTIT, 13 National-av., S.W., speeding, $10.

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS, Grand Rapids, Mich., Tues., May 15, 1928, Pg. 5, Col. 3, Art. 3 (Official Record of Traffic Cases)

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CATHOLIC HIGH ALUMNAE PLANNING MAY FROLIC

Miss Bernadette Zwers has been appointed general chairman of the C.C.H.S. alumnae May frolic, which is to be held at the Pantlind hotel on Saturday, May 4.

Miss Zwers entertained the following committees at her home on Monday evening: Tickets, Miss Irene Dougherty, Miss Helen Blandford, Miss Marie Klaiber, Miss Ruth Schmidt: features, Miss Carmen Hayes: posters, Miss Lucy Marie Young, Miss Dorothy Korreck: music: Mrs. W.B. Gast, Mrs. Arthur Lennart: patrons and patronesses, Mrs. Leo Schloss, Mrs. F.J. Curran: favors, Miss Gladys Boylon: reception, MRS. JOSEPH PETTIT, Mrs. J.N. Bissonnette, Mrs. J.C. McKinney, Miss Marie Renihan and Mrs. J.F. Eardley: publicity, Miss Margaret Knape and Miss Mary Zwers.

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS, Grand Rapids, Mich., Thurs., Apr. 18, 1929, Pg. 13, Col. 2, Art. 6 (About Grand Rapids Folk and Their Guests - Catholic High Alumnae Planning May Frolic)