The Reverend Dr. William H. Littleton

An outdoor funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 2 at 2:00 pm at Christ Church Frederica, St. Simons Island, GA with the Rev. Thomas Purdy officiating. A graveside service and burial will follow for immediate family at Christ Church Frederica Cemetery.

Bill was born August 14, 1928 in Macon, GA, the only child of Virginia and George Littleton. His childhood was spent in LaGrange, GA, where he graduated from LaGrange High in 1944. His education included a BA in English from Emory University in Atlanta, GA in 1948, at the age of 19, and a BD from the Candler School of Theology in 1951. He was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. In 1954, he and his wife, the former Patricia Hammond of Albany, GA, went to Scotland for him to attend the University of Edinburgh, from which he received a PhD. They returned to Macon, GA in 1956 where Bill taught at Wesleyan College and continued to pastor small Methodist churches. In 1959, attracted by the Anglican liturgy of the Church of England, Bill moved his family to Sewanee, TN, where he taught and attended the University of the South while earning a master’s degree in Sacred Theology. In 1960, he was ordained an Episcopal minister at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta, GA.

In the years to come, Bill became rector of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Milledgeville, GA, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Decatur, GA and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Beaumont, TX, Dean of Students and professor of philosophy at Georgia College in Milledgeville, GA, and in 1973 became canon pastor at Christ Church Cathedral in Houston, TX. St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Waco, TX called him as rector in 1977. In 1981, he returned to Douglas, GA and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. St. Simons Island, GA became his home in 1989, where he served as an assistant priest at Christ Church Frederica and St. Ignatius for many years before retiring in 2007. In many ways, Bill was a renaissance man, having occupied a number of academic positions, as well as serving Methodist and Episcopal churches in Georgia and Texas.

On St. Simons, many knew him as a poet and an artist, as well as a priest. He was active in the Live Poets Society for a number of years and looked forward to his Saturday morning breakfast club at Café Frederica. Bill was an author, having published a book of sermons, " Good Morning Forever", a number of poems in religious magazines, and at age 84, "A Ballad of Sixty-Six Days: Charles Wesley at Frederica". Bill enjoyed woodworking, weaving, writing and music of all genres – especially jazz, big band and Broadway. His family vacationed frequently on St. Simons Island, GA, where many happy memories were made. Month long family vacations to New England were also a cherished memory.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Virginia and George Littleton, Albany, GA and his wife, Patricia.

He is survived by his four daughters: Bonnie Carpenter (Ed) of Waco, TX, Becky Sims of St. Simons Island, GA, Kathy Littleton of Greenville, SC and Wendy Berryhill (Glenn) of Zirconia, NC; grandchildren: Greg (Julia), Haley and Will Carpenter, Charlie, Vick (Baylee) and Greer (Anna) Sims and Karina Kinney; great-grandchildren: Caroline and Molly Carpenter, Jack, Finnly and Oliver Sims.

The family suggests that memorials be made to Christ Church Frederica for St. Ignatius, 6329 Frederica Road, St. Simons Island, GA 31522 or St. Simons Island Land Trust, 1910 Frederica Road, St. Simons Island, GA 31522.