Christine Little
Christine Brown Little, 91, passed away on Monday, May 15.
She was born Sept. 26, 1925, in Madras, Ga., and is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 69 years, Henry W. Little, her parents, John Thomas and Florence Moore Brown, and nine of her ten siblings. Christine graduated from Newnan High School in Newnan, Ga., in 1942, Crawford W. Long School of Nursing in Atlanta, in 1946 and received a Baccalaureate of Nursing from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) in 1982. She was a charter member of Zeta Alpha Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Society of Nursing and the Golden Key Honor Society of UTC, receiving the Outstanding Nursing Alumni Award for 1987. Christine served in the Army Cadet Nurse Corp during WW II and has been a resident of Chattanooga since her marriage to Henry on Oct. 5, 1946.
Christine worked at Memorial Hospital, taught nursing at Erlanger School of Nursing and held offices in the District and State Nurses Association. She was a member of the Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and a Volunteer Ambassador of Memorial Cancer Resource Center.
Christine was one of the founding members of the Chattanooga Chapter of Oncology Nursing Society. She served on the Board of Directors and as a volunteer for the American Cancer Society (ACS) Hamilton County Unit and Tennessee Division. In 1994 she received the J. C. Penny Golden Rule Award for development and coordination of the ACS's Breast Health Assessment Program in the Chattanooga community and also the Cancer Control Award for the Tennessee Division of ACS. A highlight of her nursing career was when her passion for end-of-life care drove her to become one of the founding members of Hospice of Chattanooga where she served as a volunteer from its beginning in 1981. In recognition of her contributions she was named as one of two inaugural Emeritus Board Members of the Hospice of Chattanooga Foundation in 2013.
As a member of Brainerd Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Christine participated in the Good News and Fidelis Sunday School classes. She taught Sunday School and was Director of the Homebound Committee for several years. After Henry and she moved to the Garden Plaza community in 2014, she attended Ooltewah Methodist Church and the Joy Sunday School class.
Christine and Henry supported higher education by endowing nursing scholarships with Hospice of Chattanooga, UTC and Memorial Hospital. In 2009 Christine was honored as a member of the University of Tennessee Alliance of Women Philanthropists.
Together Christine and Henry worked hard and saved while raising four children. In time their combined efforts provided them opportunities to make special trips with children and grandchildren as well as to realize experiences like walking on The Great Wall of China, wading in the Artic Ocean at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and touring the Great Rivers of Europe.
Survivors include H. Wade Little, Jr. (Sue) of Rising Fawn, GA; C. Diane Cox (Dale) of Wayzata, MN; Cathy E. Parker (David) of Franklin, TN; David B. Little (Linda Ratto) of Chattanooga; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; her sister, Frances Bechtel of Palatka, FL; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Baptist Children's Home, Chattanooga, TN; Hospice of Chattanooga Foundation, Chattanooga; or Christine B. Little Nursing Scholarship at the University of Chattanooga.
Visitation will be held for Christine from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, at the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home. Celebration of life service will be at 12 pm. on Friday, May 19, at the Brainerd Baptist Church, Chattanooga. The family will receive friends one hour prior to service.
Burial will be in Chattanooga National Cemetery.
Please share your memories of Christine with the family at www.chattanoogaeastchapel.com.
Funeral arrangements are by Chattanooga Funeral Crematory and Florist, East Chapel, 404 S. Moore Road, East Ridge, Tn. 37412.