Ralph M. Little

Ralph M. Little, age 88 and a resident of Gulfport, went to be with his Lord on Saturday, September 7, 2013. He was met in Heaven by his mother and father Katie and Charner Little, brother and sister-in-law Clovis and Mary Beth Little, mother and father-in-law Mae and Ocie Tanner, sisters-in-law and husbands Doris and Odell Turnbow and Mary Hester and Ralph Rasberry; brother-in-law and wife Dan and Laura Tanner, brother-in-law and hunting buddy Z. T. Womack, and special angel great-granddaughter Angela Jeanna.
He is survived by his wife of 70 years Virginia Little, whom he fondly called ""Doodles."" Other survivors include his son Ralph, Jr. (Jerry); daughter-in-law Nell of Puckett, MS; and daughter Sheila Morgan of Gulfport, MS. Grandchildren include Jeff and wife Lisa Little of Brandon, Cliff Little of Pelahatchie, MS, Cheree and husband Greg Roan of Brandon, MS, Jiji and husband Mark Pridmore of West Point, MS, Mike Morgan, Danny Morgan, and Suzanne Morgan of Gulfport, MS. Great grandchildren include: Mathew (and soon to be bride Meagan Rae), Carli, and Lanie Little, Jarid, Hallee, and Rachel Roan; Mallory, Garrett, and Callie Little; Tyler Summers; Daniel and Christopher Morgan. Surviving brothers are Louie and wife Lady Jane of Jackson and Rev. Clyde and wife Maxine Little of Bay Springs.
Mr. Little was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and when a young man moved to Jackson, MS. Here he met and married the love of his life, Virginia Tanner in 1943. With World War II raging, he enlisted and served with the RAF and 8th Air Force in England and Belgium. For the next thirty-seven years, Mr. Little served his country through various aspects of military service in either active duty Army, National Guard, or Army Reserves.
During his lifetime Mr. Little's civilian career in engineering enabled him to call numerous locals ""home"". From Oxford, MS to Houston, TX, from Baton Rouge, LA to Morris, IL, and from Gulfport, MS to Abadan, Iran, just to name a few. Regardless of where he and his family moved, he always managed to find a Southern Baptist church in which he and ""Doodles"" staked claim to two seats on the end of the center pew. He also served his home church through service to the Lord and Sunday School Teacher, Sunday School Director, and Deacon. As an active member of First Baptist Church of Gulfport for more than a decade, Mr. Little's warm presence will be missed by all who knew him.
The Little family would like to give thanks to the doctors, nurses, students, techs, and staff at Keesler Hospital for the professional and courteous treatment he received under your care since last February. In addition, we would like to express our appreciation to Greenbriar Nursing Home and Gentiva Hospice for the tender compassion and loving treatment that was given both the patient and the family members during this difficult time. You are all truly sent from Heaven.
Visitation will be from 6:00 - 8:00pm on Monday, September 9, 2013, at Riemann Family Funeral Home, 274 Beauvoir Road in Biloxi.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, September 10, 2013, at 9:00am in the funeral home chapel. Interment will follow at Biloxi National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations made to the Building Fund at First Baptist Church, 12190 Highway 605, Gulfport, MS 39503.
For more information, please call (228)388-9516.