A BRIEF HISTORY OF PUUF
In 1975, Sue Brown, who had lived in Phoenix and was a member of Ray Manker’s church, was living in Prescott and much in need of the support and friendship of caring, religious liberals. She wrote the UUA (Unitarian Universalist Association) for instructions on how to start a Fellowship and set about recruiting members. The first organizational meeting was held at Joyce Anderson’s home and attended by Dana and Gwen Nichols, the Andersons, Osbornes, Sue and her daughter. This was followed by the first formal meeting July 6th, 1975, at the Nichols’ Ranch. Ray Manker came up from Phoenix to speak to the 36 attendees. At this meeting Dana Nichols agreed to serve as temporary president and Sue Brown volunteered to be secretary-treasurer. Other decisions were to meet every other week, open a bank account, and be a “Person’s Fellowship”, the children being included in all discussions. The Charter members were:
| Sue and Cindy Brown | the Nichols Family |
| the Paladin Family | Claude and Irene Gillingwater |
| Joyce Anderson | Margie Mc Intosh |
| the Osbornes | Hiram and Irene Davis |
| the Gardners | Stanley and Gay Lehman |
| the Santores | Ellen Moore |
| Marie Highland | Ruth Hamm |
| Arlene Gray | Agnes Kelly |
| Sara Chamie | the Burkharts |
On September 21st of that year, David Paladin was elected President, Dana Nichols, Vice-President, and Sue Brown, Secretary-Treasurer. At this time formal application was made to the UUA for recognition as a Fellowship. A $50 donation was sent to them, and PUUF was recognized by the UUA.
A busy first year ensued with the group meeting in various places: The Hassayampa Hotel, the Congregational Church and the Valley National Bank. A first annual Thanksgiving Day potluck was held at Carpenter’s Hall. Ellen Moore delivered a Thanksgiving message. The first newsletter called “POOP” (6/20/76) was edited and published by Dana Nichols.
Then, due to deaths, ill health, and/or leaving town of key people, the group fell apart so that when Sue Brown returned to town in 1979, she had to reactivate the Fellowship. She became President with the core group now down to about 10: The Browns, Nichols, Davises, Agnes Kelly, and Ellen Moore. Soon, Susan Hanker, Curtiss Seale, and Pat Highby joined. The group was now so small that they met in homes. Sue Brown recalls what help she got from Pat and Hiram. Growth was slow for the next few years. Marge Smith and the Grossmans joined in 1980; Anne Phetteplace and the Frittses in 1981. In that year a second newsletter, “Are UU Listening?” was edited by Ellen Moore. It contained PUUF history and the first of Ellen’s famous biographies.
By 1983 we had a few more returnees and an infusion of new blood. We were now meeting at the Rehabilitation Center twice a month with about 25 members. A third attempt at a newsletter was made; Puufing Along was chosen by the Congregation as its name. It was published once a month through 1996. For the next five years we continued to grow and meet wherever we could find quarters: the Rehabilitation Center, the YMCA, Yavapai College, Primavera School… As we grew, we acquired more things. Where we had storage space, we lost things that didn’t get put away, and we lost records when our storage space flooded. When we didn’t have storage space where we met, carrying our signs, coffee pot, and other paraphernalia became a huge headache for our officers. We needed a home of our own. For the next two years we searched for a place that we could afford ($100,000) that met our other criteria: within 10 miles of the Square, outside the city limits, and with an acre or more of land that we could park on – no beautiful rocky sites considered! We found several that we tried and failed to get: out Williamson Valley,on Willow Lake Rd, and on Rancho Vista Drive. Finally, in 1990, the house on Rancho Vista came back on the market, and we purchased it. In April of 1991, after remodeling to meet code and satisfy our needs, we gratefully moved into quarters that were already too small and not as convenient or as beautiful as we would have liked. By now membership had grown to about 80, and we were able to finance our new home internally with loans from about 10 of our members.
Our Religious Education program for the children was begun in 1984 by Elizabeth Asay and Arlene Gray. The program was successful and thrived up until about 1994 when it began to falter due to a lack of commitment by the parents. By 1996 only a few children attended except for the high schoolers. At this time, (1997) we are operating with only baby sitting offered. We have the space and budget for a Children’s Program should demand appear. We are now helping to sponsor a YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists) group (high school age).
As we grew more crowded in the early 90s, a fundamental difference in personal agendas became evident. The majority of the PUUF Board of Trustees wanted us to become a centrally located “full service” Church with a minister. Two thirds of the Congregation wanted to stay at Rancho Vista, expand the building, and continue our varied programs with no in house minister. 
This conflict was resolved by the two factions deciding to go their separate ways in 1996. The renovation of our building was paid for, as before, with monies loaned by members of the Congregation. It almost doubled the meeting room size, widened our hallway and improved our entry ways and kitchen.
When the dust had settled, we found ourselves with 60 members (a loss of about 30), a major change in our Bylaws: to operate by consensus instead of Roberts Rules (if at all possible) and a beautiful spacious home.
THIS HISTORY WAS COMPILED FROM PUUF ARCHIVES AND THE MEMORIES OF SEVERAL MEMBERS. THE YEARS OF 1984 – 1997 ARE HERE MUCH CONDENSED. WE HAVE EASILY ACCESSED MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS FOR THIS PERIOD FOR AN ACCURATE, DETAILED RECORD OF THE FELLOWSHIP.
Author: Cis Prehmus 2/97.