Gene Elwood Little

He was born in Donnelsville, OH on July 20, 1931 to Harry and Elsie Little. He grew up in Springfield, OH. Gene spent much of his young life with his Grandma Saum, whom he loved with all his heart.

He graduated from West View High School in Urbana, OH and worked on a farm until he was drafted into the US Army in 1956.

During his years of military service, he traveled throughout Europe with his first wife, Joyce Conner and their five children.

In 1971, after his tour and before retiring, he met and married the love of his life, Bertha Garcia Esparza, who was a single mother of eight. He welcomed her children as his own, and they became a family of 13. After 20+ years of service, Gene retired from the Army in 1974. He received many medals, awards and much recognition for his accomplishments in the military.

Gene and Bertha started several businesses that are, to this day, successful and continue to thrive. They include a house moving business, Little and Son, Chaparral Sand & Gravel, a concrete business and a tire recycling business. They were creators of The Beacon, a Chaparral, NM Newspaper.

Gene was loved and respected by all. He was active in his Chaparral, NM community activities such as the Optimist Club, park construction and maintenance, providing fields for sporting events, clearing and developing land, the Chaparral Community Center for a children's circus and was involved in the local political community.

He was an avid chess player, loved geology, race walking gardening and the outdoors. Hiking the Grand Canyon was his paradise and where he loved to be. He cherished his rim-to-rim hike and white water rafting through Canyon. His children and family always accompanied him through 97 miles of the Grand Canyon hiking adventures.

Gene is preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Elsie Little, and his brother, Harry.

Gene is survived by his loving wife, Bertha, to whom he was married to for 52 years. Children are Steve (Magdalena), Rick (Cecilia), Terri (Victor), Sharon, Lynda (David), Martha (Harold), Judi (David) Bertha (Frank), Edward, Roger (Diane), Jessica (Danny), Joseph (Susan), Bonnie (Rick), 28 grandchildren, 64 great grandchildren and 1 great, great grandchild.

Additional family members include Larry (Linda) Little, Mike (Mary) Little), Vickie Nunmaker and Keith (Kathy) Applegate.

We want to recognize and give a special thank you to Christopher Garcia, caregiver with Accent Care of El Paso. He was always there to comfort, encourage and play chess with Gene.

Special thanks to Hospice who was there for our needs.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Monday, August 12 at Hope City Community Church, 6115 Woodrow Bean, El Paso at 12:30pm. A 2:30 graveside service will follow at Fort Bliss National Cemetery with military honors.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Hope City Community Church.