Mrs. Dale Joelane “Jo” (Elder) Little passed from this life to Heaven following a hospice stay in her daughter’s home in Royse City, Texas. She was born July 3, 1940, in Oklahoma City to Dale Ogle Elder and Hazel Mae Link.
Mrs. Little lived in Newcastle for most of her life until 2004 when she moved to Denton, Texas, to be closer to her daughters.
She married Morrison Eugene “Bud” Little on April 24, 1966, in Las Vegas, Nevada. She and Bud built a home and raised a family on a 40-acre tract of her parents homestead. Her brother Roger Elder and sister Rodessa (Elder) Shelton made their homes on adjoining tracts.
Mrs. Little loved farm life. She was raised on the farm and loved flowers, gardening, cats and home cooking. She graduated from Newcastle High School in 1958.
Mrs. Little was a full time mother of her two daughters, Mary Ann and Becky. She was a Brownie Troop Leader, 4-H leader, FHA parent, band parent, and valuable member of the Newcastle community. She began working for the H.E. Bailey Turnpike in Newcastle and moved up to supervisor, having 10 years of service with the Oklahoma Turnpike System.
When her husband Bud passed away, she continued caring for the elderly in Denton. She also helped shuttle her grand-daughter Brooke (Hadley) Hanohano to Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas, until Brooke could drive. She loved traveling the world and taking trips to Las Vegas.
Mrs. Little was the mother of two daughters who both live in Texas — Mary Ann (Little) Gray, husband Jason Gray and grand-daughter Adrienne; and Becky (Little ) Hadley, husband Patrick Hadley, grand-daughter Brooke (Hadley) and husband Ha’aheo Hanohano. She has a sister-in-law, Karen Queen in Centralia, Illinois and a brother Roger Elder in Panama.
Mrs. Little will be greatly missed by her family, friends, and all who knew her. She will be placed to rest next to her husband Bud at Fairview Cemetery in Tuttle, Oklahoma. Her parents, grandmother and other relatives are buried close by.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Kings Fort Chapter National Daughters of the American Revolution Chapter. Mrs. Little’s relative fought in the Revolutionary War and her daughter, Mary Ann Gray is a member of the Kings Fort Chapter.
Donations will be given to the Girls Scholarship Committee supporting high school seniors. Checks in Mrs. Little’s name can be made to Kings Fort NSDAR.
Please mail your check to Mrs. Charlene Orr 18407 Langford Lane, Forney, Texas 75126. If you prefer, your donation may be made electronically to Kftreasurer-7536.mycheddarup. com select scholarship donation.
Funeral Arrangements are under the care of Sevier Funeral Home.
