Betty Browning Little

"No photo, closed casket." These were often repeated instructions delivered by our Mother so we will obey her wish one last time. She passed away peacefully on May 12, 2013, at age 93, after a long and wonderful life.

Betty Little never knew a stranger and enjoyed a bounty of friends of all ages. She loved a good joke, a country song with slightly suggestive lyrics, and as her cousin Muriel said, she just loved to "sit and laugh and talk."

Betty was raised in Athens, Texas, and moved to Houston after high school to work for a law firm and attend Rice University where she met and married Robert N. Little, Jr., in 1943. Betty and Bob enjoyed 43 years of marriage until his death in 1986, and she often said that "Bob opened up the world for her." They traveled extensively together and enjoyed many a great adventure, particularly living for a semester in Madrid, Spain. Betty was a wonderful hostess and for decades entertained lifelong friends, students and scholars from across the globe in her Austin home with her husband. Their two children, Scott and Emily, were the fortunate ones to be raised by loving, supportive parents in a house full of interesting people who conveyed to them the gifts of curiosity and wonder.

Betty was an active member and president of The University Ladies Club and Faculty Wives Club and was a proud member of the "Bodacious Babes" lunch group. She doted on her three grandchildren and four great grandchildren, and was often seen squeezing the chubby legs of any baby she might see in a restaurant.

She is survived by son Scott Little and his wife Stephanie, daughter Emily Little, grandchildren Jascha Little, Shea Little and wife Jana Swec, and Marissa Little and husband Chad Nickle, and four great grandchildren, Cai, Olive, Willa and Mexia. Betty is preceded in death by her husband, Robert N. Little, her parents Oscar and Tommie Browning, her sisters Neville Browning and Zelda Wiley, and her brother James Browning.

The family deeply appreciates the loving attention of nephew and niece, Dennis and Chris Cavner, and the care given by the staff at the Summit at Northwest Hills in Austin where Betty enjoyed many friends who also loved to "sit and laugh and talk."

A graveside memorial service will be held at Austin Memorial Park at 10 am on Wednesday, May 15, 2013. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions will be deeply appreciated: R. N. Little Fellowship, c/o Office of CNS Dean, U. of Texas, 120 Inner Campus Dr. Stop 2500, Austin, TX, 78712.