[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 43 (Wednesday, April 13, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E636]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN TRIBUTE TO PATRICIA HAVENS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 13, 2005

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Patricia Havens, 
who has dedicated her life to preserving, researching and re-telling 
the history of my hometown of Simi Valley, California, and who will be 
honored this Saturday for her decades as a teacher, director and author 
in pursuit of that dedication.
  Forty years ago, Pat Havens and 3 others founded the Simi Valley 
Historical Society. The society, largely under Pat's guidance, has been 
responsible for documenting and saving local buildings and antiques of 
historical significance. Many of them are now housed at the Strathearn 
Historical Park and Museum, where Pat serves as the Museum Director. 
The projects are ongoing.
  The society is currently renovating Simi Valley's first house of 
worship, which opened as a Presbyterian church in 1902 and became a 
Catholic church 10 years later. The Rancho Simi Recreation and Park 
District purchased the building in 2002 and moved it to Strathearn 
Park, where it joins the Simi Adobe, which was built during the early 
days of the city's Spanish period beginning in 1795; the Strathearn 
family farmhouse that was built onto the adobe in 1892; the Simi Valley 
Library building that served the community from 1930-1962; and many 
other buildings and artifacts that tell the valley's story.
  Preservation has not been enough for Pat Havens, however. Thirty 
years ago she began teaching the ``History of Simi Valley'' program and 
five years ago, in collaboration with Bill Appleton, she published 
through the historical society a comprehensive history of the valley, 
``Simi Valley: A Journey Through Time.''
  The City Council named Pat as Simi Valley's first City Historian 
while I was mayor of the city, a post she still holds.
  Pat's ties to Simi Valley run deep. Although born in Arkansas, she 
moved here as a young girl and graduated from Simi Valley High School 
in 1947 with her future husband, Neil. Neil Havens served as the city's 
postmaster for 30 years, following in the steps of his father and 
grandfather, and died peacefully last year. Together they raised three 
children in Simi Valley, Debra, Barbara and Russ.
  During Pat's lifetime, Simi Valley transformed from a farming 
community into a thriving suburban city of 120,000 people. Thanks in 
large part to her efforts, Simi Valley's past was preserved before it 
slipped away. Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in thanking Pat 
Havens for dedicating 40 years to preserving Simi Valley's history and 
for helping to make it relevant to our lives today.

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