George was born in Detroit in 1917, and Betty was born in Dearborn in 1923, but before they met at Eastern Michigan University, where he majored in business and she in music, George had a job in the Detroit Public Library. That was where he learned about the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie, a successful industrialist who donated large sums of money to help build libraries.

George and Betty came to Homer in 1945 to use his accounting and business skills at Calhoun Foundry Corporation where Betty's father, Norman Giles, was one of the original partners along with Jack Granger, George Schanz and Joe Warrick. They built their home in Homer and raised their four children (George, Norman, Tom and Carol) in the community.

Their commitment to the area is expressed in the endowed scholarship fund they established and through the community organizations in which they have been members. They have supported and made generous contributions to the Homer Arts Endowed Fund, and their two thriving businesses (Calhoun Foundry Company, Inc. and Trojan Heat Treat) support over 150 individuals and their families.

The Homer Public Library is dedicated to George and Betty Petredean for their vision, generosity and for their commitment to Homer.