Florence Styles & PGS History
Florence Naomi Hall Styles was born 28 May 1905 to David and Mildred Payne Hall
in Petaluma, California. She married Wilfred Baker Styles Jr. of Oakland,
California on 1 June 1930 and together they had one daughter. Before retiring
to Paradise, in 1955, Florence worked as a medical librarian in Oakland.
Among her varied interests were gardening, politics, history, genealogy, and
many community-minded endeavors which benefited the people of Paradise. She
served on the Paradise Auditorium Building Committee, as historian for Symphony
Guild, as director of the Community Concert Association and was the first
editor of the Tales of the Paradise Ridge, a bi-annual periodical published by
the Paradise Historical Society, Fact & Folklore.
Florence was a charter member of the Paradise Genealogical Society and
presented one of the first programs to the fledging Society's membership. As an
active and tireless member she served as society president from 1971-1973. She
also served as corresponding secretary for many years and in that capacity she
did genealogical research for out of area persons who had ties to Butte County.
Florence's love of history motivated her to collect books, newspaper articles,
maps, and photographs as well as all types of records, primarily about Butte
County.
Upon her death in 1988, the entire collection was given to the Paradise
Genealogical Society. Over the intervening years work has been done to
reorganize and index the extensive and varied materials. Today this invaluable
and irreplaceable collection is housed in the Florence Styles Room of the
society library.
The Paradise Genealogical Society and Library are greatly indebted to Florence
and her family for this marvelous treasure.
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