Viewing and visitation will be held one hour prior to the Funeral Service at Omega Funeral Home, 83 Royal Rd. S., Portage la Prairie, MB on Wednesday, July 12th at 1:00 p.m. with Wilma Shirriff officiating. Interment at Hillside Cemetery. Pallbearers will be David Little, Leslie Little, Paul Little, Laird Little, Jeremiah Sorrell, and Matthew Driedger.
Dorothy Justina Little passed away peacefully in the early morning of Tuesday July 4th, 2023 at Douglas Campbell Lodge in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. Dorothy was born on March 8, 1930 in Shortdale, Manitoba, the second daughter of Charles Mikelson and Mary Ellen Murdoch Mikelson. She grew up on the family farm near Gilbert Plains with her siblings Kay (Katarina), George, and Hilma Anne.
After attending school, Dorothy worked as a hired girl for a local family, there she was introduced to William Henry Little, a tall young farmer over 12 years her senior from the Flee Island District north of High Bluff. Henry was visiting while working a winter job at a logging camp near Mafeking, Manitoba. They were married on November 4, 1948 when she was just 18 years old and they settled on the farm Henry bought after his World War II military service. As well as raising livestock and growing grain, Dorothy and Henry soon began producing children totaling 9 children in less than 13 years. Their neighbours, the Wilkinsons, who farmed on the same section of land, had 7 children with Mr. Wilkinson joking they had the most productive section in the district.
In 1966 the family moved less than 3 miles to the Kassdorf farm where they lived until they moved to Portage in 1993. In 1967 Dorothy started working off the farm in Portage to help supplement the family income working in restaurants and retail. In their retirement years, Dorothy and Henry enjoyed travelling in their RVs and spending the winter in Arizona until Henry’s health scare when they kept their travels within Canada, participating in the Good Sam RV club gatherings.
Dorothy was close to her sisters Kay and Anne and was often chatting with them on the phone daily. Over the years, Dorothy enjoyed hosting family gatherings with big Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners with Grandma and Grandpa Little and Uncle Norman Little always in attendance. Dorothy enjoyed baking homemade bread and her amazing stone ground wheat cinnamon buns.
It wasn't long until weddings and grandchildren came along then eventually great grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. There was a big age gap with the oldest great grandson 10 years older than the youngest granddaughter. Henry passed away in 2003 and soon after Dorothy sold their house and moved into Windsor Park Estates until her health declined with her eventual move into the Douglas Campbell Lodge. With the COVID outbreak and the care home in lock down, Dorothy was more isolated from her family and she longed to go out to a restaurant or to a family gathering. Dorothy enjoyed telling the care home staff all about her family and bowling on her Nintendo Wii with her new friends. Dorothy and Henry were members of the Portage Aliance Church where she attended regularly from the early 1970s until unable due to her declining health.
Dorothy was preceded by her husband Henry of 54 years, daughter Dorothy Anne, son Allen Carter, and daughter Doreen Marjorie. Dorothy will be lovingly remembered by her remaining 6 children and their families; Barry John (June), Sherry Lynn (Harold), Lori Lea (Fred), Shelly Laureen, David Gordon (Jenny) and Leslie Ross.
Special thanks extended from Dorothy’s family to the staff at Douglas Campbell Lodge for their care of Dorothy over the years she resided there. Messages of condolences can be made online at www.omegafuneralhome.com
Omega Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements.