On Tuesday May 5, 2015, after brief illnesses and 69 loving years of marriage, Riley McMillan Little II and Eva Travis Little, both 91, were granted their wish to pass away together.
Eva Allen Travis was born to Richard Stanford Travis and Eva Stainback Travis on February 13, 1924, in Scotland Neck, NC. She was graduated by the University of NC at Greensboro in 1945 with her BA degree.
Riley McMilllan Little was born to William Clark Little and Lola Snider Little on November 20, 1923, in Rock Hill, SC. He attended Davidson College and the US Naval Academy until being commissioned by the Navy in 1944.
During World War II, he served as Engineering Officer aboard the battleship USS Massachusetts in the South Pacific.
After the war, Eva and Riley were married June 29, 1946, in Greensboro, NC. They then moved to Raleigh, NC where Mr. Little completed his degree in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University.
The couple moved to Newport News in 1948 and Mr. Little began his career at Newport News Shipbuilding, where he played a vital role in the Atomic Power Division for the construction of the USS Enterprise.
Before her retirement in 1980, Mrs. Little taught fourth grade at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Day School where they were longstanding members of the church.
They are survived by four children; Riley McMillan (Mac) Little III (Rose) of Newport News and his two children Carey Land and Travis Little and his granddaughter, Olivia, all of Knoxville, TN; Eva Allen Little Mikszewski, her daughter Katherine Rest (Joseph) and granddaughter, Abigail Rest, of King George, VA; Virginia (Ginna)Little Harris (George “Sonny”) and two sons Andrew (Brianna) and Allen Harris, of Newport News and Clark Walworth Little (Donna) of Sherrills Ford, NC and his three children, Taylor, Ann Clark and Carter Little, of Richmond, VA.
Mrs. Little is survived by one brother, Richard Stanford Travis (Dorothy) of Highlands, NC and his four daughters and families.
A Memorial service will be held at 1:00 PM at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 45 Main St. Newport News, on Wednesday, May 13, 2015.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Day School, 45 Main St, Newport News, VA 23601-4011.
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