Born November 6, 1922 in Decatur, Nebraska to Naaman Pence Little and Nellie Agnes Magee. Billy, as he was known when little, was the youngest son of twelve children and the last of the twelve to die. He was a star athlete in football, basketball, baseball, and track. He loved football so much that he decided to go to Wayne State Teachers College to play football and to become a football coach. Unfortunately, the Second World War got in the way of achieving his desire to coach. He spent four years in the Army as a Master Sargent in charge of an anti-aircraft gun crew. He joined Patton's army in Nancy, France and fought across France, Austria, and Germany. In later years after the war he received the French Medal of Honor from the French Government and joined thousands of other veterans at the dedication of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. Before joining the fighting in France, Bill was selected to an All- Star Army football team that traveled playing other service teams across Western Europe and England. He was the starting quarterback.
After the war in 1946, he moved to Sioux City, Iowa where he got married and started a family. He spent his entire working career in the transportation business. He first started working for Swift and Company in Sioux City and then got promoted to Traffic Manager and transferred to Chicago in 1960. After two years he was transferred to the Denver office. There the Little family lived in Lakewood from 1962. After leaving Swift he worked as a Sales Manager and General Manger in the trucking business and spent the last ten years working for the Monfort Meat Packing Company.
While raising a family, he got a chance to coach his kids in Little League baseball and football where his teams rarely lost a game. After his kids moved on to high school and college, he seldom missed going to their games. When grandkids and great grandkids came along, you could always count on Grandpa Bill being there to support them and cheer them on.
After retiring, he started playing Senior League sports. He played softball until he was 92 and basketball until he was 93. He also participated in the Senior Olympics for twenty years winning over 65 gold, silver, and bronze medals for softball, the discus, and various running events.
Bill was active at St. Bernadette's Catholic Church for 55 years in various activities including food banks and the Knights of Columbus.
Born November 6, 1922 in Decatur, Nebraska to Naaman Pence Little and Nellie Agnes Magee. Billy, as he was known when little, was the youngest son of twelve children and the last of the twelve to die. He was a star athlete in football, basketball, baseball, and track. He loved football so much that he decided to go to Wayne State Teachers College to play football and to become a football coach. Unfortunately, the Second World War got in the way of achieving his desire to coach. He spent four years in the Army as a Master Sargent in charge of an anti-aircraft gun crew. He joined Patton's army in Nancy, France and fought across France, Austria, and Germany. In later years after the war he received the French Medal of Honor from the French Government and joined thousands of other veterans at the dedication of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. Before joining the fighting in France, Bill was selected to an All- Star Army football team that traveled playing other service teams across Western Europe and England. He was the starting quarterback.
After the war in 1946, he moved to Sioux City, Iowa where he got married and started a family. He spent his entire working career in the transportation business. He first started working for Swift and Company in Sioux City and then got promoted to Traffic Manager and transferred to Chicago in 1960. After two years he was transferred to the Denver office. There the Little family lived in Lakewood from 1962. After leaving Swift he worked as a Sales Manager and General Manger in the trucking business and spent the last ten years working for the Monfort Meat Packing Company.
While raising a family, he got a chance to coach his kids in Little League baseball and football where his teams rarely lost a game. After his kids moved on to high school and college, he seldom missed going to their games. When grandkids and great grandkids came along, you could always count on Grandpa Bill being there to support them and cheer them on.
After retiring, he started playing Senior League sports. He played softball until he was 92 and basketball until he was 93. He also participated in the Senior Olympics for twenty years winning over 65 gold, silver, and bronze medals for softball, the discus, and various running events.
Bill was active at St. Bernadette's Catholic Church for 55 years in various activities including food banks and the Knights of Columbus.
Inscription
SGT US Army
World War II
Gravesite Details
Interred: May 30, 2018
Family Members
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Ruby Agnes Little
1906–1915
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Robert Levi Little
1908–1991
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Pearl Irene Little McAllister
1909–1972
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Opal Marjory Evelyn Little Parsons
1911–1972
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Eunice Garnet Little Method
1912–2011
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Jerry Ivan Little
1915–1973
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Roscoe Hugo Little
1917–1997
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James Clark Little
1919–1983
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Samuel Edward Little
1921–2002
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Dorabelle Laverne Little Nelson
1925–1991
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Nellie Darlene Little Hall
1926–2001
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