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November 7, 2009
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM. Funeral Services will be held at 9:30 AM on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 from the funeral home, then to Immaculate Heart of Mary RC Church, Wayne, where at 10:30 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered. Entombment will be at the Laurel Grove Mausoleum in Totowa, NJ.
Thomas Little Jr., age 85 of Wayne died on Saturday, November 7, 2009 with his wife and daughter by his side. He had battled with Parkinson’s disease for many years and his wife Connie fulfilled her vow to care for him at home as long as she was able.
Born in Rutherglen, Scotland, he came to America when he was just two years old. His parents had emigrated here and first arrived at their Aunt Betty’s house in Baltimore before settling in Clifton, NJ. As a kid, he made the trip to visit his aunt in Baltimore a few times. The trip was particularly memorable because the roads certainly were not what they are today and the trip took about twelve hours while Tom and his sister sat in the rumble seat of their dad’s car.
Thomas graduated from Clifton High School with the class of 1942 and shortly thereafter he attempted to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Force. It was at this time he first realized that his citizenship was in question. Apparently, his parents had not completed his paperwork properly when he first came to America as an infant and he therefore couldn’t be admitted to the Army. So, determined as he was to join the war effort, he went to the British Consulate in New York City and attempted to join the Royal Air Force – but they were unwilling to admit him because he was not British. Still determined, and following the advice of the British Consulate, he took a train to Montreal, Canada where he was gladly accepted into the Royal Canadian Air Force.
After training in western Canada, he was assigned to the 158th Bomber Squadron in Great Britain. His plane was a Halifax bomber named “Friday the Thirteenth”. With a plane named as such, he thought for sure his days were numbered. He couldn’t have been more wrong as he and his crew successfully completed thirty seven bombing missions over Europe; twenty five of which were daytime runs, the most dangerous of all. The aircraft went on to successfully complete 128 missions in all. There are only two fully restored Halifax bombers in the world and both have been named “Friday the Thirteenth”. One is in England and the other in Canada. Thomas was the radio operator on board, well versed in Morse Code, and highly decorated for his wartime service. He was very proud of his years in the service and stayed in touch with his fellow crew members over the years and attended several reunions.
Upon returning to the United States after the war, a naturalized citizen now, Tom learned that his father had been very ill and immediately went to work to help support the family. Eventually his father was able to return to work where they both worked together on a loom at the Van Ralte Company in Paterson, making fine lace for stockings and lingerie. Tom’s father would work the day shift and Tom would work the nights. This enabled Tom to build his own house here in Wayne. He knew nothing about building houses, but was determined. He bought a book titled something like “How to build your Dream House for $23,000” and he went to work. Every day for two years, weekends too, he worked on the house here in Wayne before they moved in in 1955. He became accomplished at wood working and made several pieces of fine furniture for his home. He enjoyed photography which he persued in his dark room at home. He was also an outdoorsman and shared his love of canoeing with his son on Packanack Lake and on a 100 mile paddle through the Adirondacks.
Thomas’ career path took a turn after the Van Ralte Lace Company went out of business. He learned Air Conditioning and Refrigeration repair and took a job at the Morristown Memorial Hospital. He was so good at fixing things that they promoted him to supervisor within two weeks of hiring him. He worked there for many years before retiring. Retirement didn’t last long and he soon took a similar position at Lederle Labs in Pearl River, NY. He retired from that position in 1994.
It was in 1948 at the lace factory that he met his future wife; Constance DeFeo. Thomas asked Connie out on their first date to a drive in movie, which caused Connie to have some reservation. But he proved to be a pure gentleman and they were married four years later, in 1952. Together they enjoyed fifty seven years of “beautiful, happy” marriage. Connie remarked; “every girl should have such a husband.”
Tom is survived by his devoted wife; Constance (DeFeo) of Wayne, two children; Patricia Little of Wayne and Dr. Thomas Little III and his wife Ruth Ann of Easton, PA, three grandchildren; Angela, Ryan and Brenden Little, all of Easton, PA. He was predeceased by his sister Elizabeth DeVries.
Memorial donations in Thomas’ memory would be greatly appreciated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary RC Church, 580 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ 07470 or to the Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad, PO Box 291, Wayne, NJ 07474.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM. Funeral Services will be held at 9:30 AM on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 from the funeral home, then to Immaculate Heart of Mary RC Church, Wayne, where at 10:30 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered. Entombment will be at the Laurel Grove Mausoleum in Totowa, NJ.
November 7, 2009
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM. Funeral Services will be held at 9:30 AM on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 from the funeral home, then to Immaculate Heart of Mary RC Church, Wayne, where at 10:30 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered. Entombment will be at the Laurel Grove Mausoleum in Totowa, NJ.
Thomas Little Jr., age 85 of Wayne died on Saturday, November 7, 2009 with his wife and daughter by his side. He had battled with Parkinson’s disease for many years and his wife Connie fulfilled her vow to care for him at home as long as she was able.
Born in Rutherglen, Scotland, he came to America when he was just two years old. His parents had emigrated here and first arrived at their Aunt Betty’s house in Baltimore before settling in Clifton, NJ. As a kid, he made the trip to visit his aunt in Baltimore a few times. The trip was particularly memorable because the roads certainly were not what they are today and the trip took about twelve hours while Tom and his sister sat in the rumble seat of their dad’s car.
Thomas graduated from Clifton High School with the class of 1942 and shortly thereafter he attempted to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Force. It was at this time he first realized that his citizenship was in question. Apparently, his parents had not completed his paperwork properly when he first came to America as an infant and he therefore couldn’t be admitted to the Army. So, determined as he was to join the war effort, he went to the British Consulate in New York City and attempted to join the Royal Air Force – but they were unwilling to admit him because he was not British. Still determined, and following the advice of the British Consulate, he took a train to Montreal, Canada where he was gladly accepted into the Royal Canadian Air Force.
After training in western Canada, he was assigned to the 158th Bomber Squadron in Great Britain. His plane was a Halifax bomber named “Friday the Thirteenth”. With a plane named as such, he thought for sure his days were numbered. He couldn’t have been more wrong as he and his crew successfully completed thirty seven bombing missions over Europe; twenty five of which were daytime runs, the most dangerous of all. The aircraft went on to successfully complete 128 missions in all. There are only two fully restored Halifax bombers in the world and both have been named “Friday the Thirteenth”. One is in England and the other in Canada. Thomas was the radio operator on board, well versed in Morse Code, and highly decorated for his wartime service. He was very proud of his years in the service and stayed in touch with his fellow crew members over the years and attended several reunions.
Upon returning to the United States after the war, a naturalized citizen now, Tom learned that his father had been very ill and immediately went to work to help support the family. Eventually his father was able to return to work where they both worked together on a loom at the Van Ralte Company in Paterson, making fine lace for stockings and lingerie. Tom’s father would work the day shift and Tom would work the nights. This enabled Tom to build his own house here in Wayne. He knew nothing about building houses, but was determined. He bought a book titled something like “How to build your Dream House for $23,000” and he went to work. Every day for two years, weekends too, he worked on the house here in Wayne before they moved in in 1955. He became accomplished at wood working and made several pieces of fine furniture for his home. He enjoyed photography which he persued in his dark room at home. He was also an outdoorsman and shared his love of canoeing with his son on Packanack Lake and on a 100 mile paddle through the Adirondacks.
Thomas’ career path took a turn after the Van Ralte Lace Company went out of business. He learned Air Conditioning and Refrigeration repair and took a job at the Morristown Memorial Hospital. He was so good at fixing things that they promoted him to supervisor within two weeks of hiring him. He worked there for many years before retiring. Retirement didn’t last long and he soon took a similar position at Lederle Labs in Pearl River, NY. He retired from that position in 1994.
It was in 1948 at the lace factory that he met his future wife; Constance DeFeo. Thomas asked Connie out on their first date to a drive in movie, which caused Connie to have some reservation. But he proved to be a pure gentleman and they were married four years later, in 1952. Together they enjoyed fifty seven years of “beautiful, happy” marriage. Connie remarked; “every girl should have such a husband.”
Tom is survived by his devoted wife; Constance (DeFeo) of Wayne, two children; Patricia Little of Wayne and Dr. Thomas Little III and his wife Ruth Ann of Easton, PA, three grandchildren; Angela, Ryan and Brenden Little, all of Easton, PA. He was predeceased by his sister Elizabeth DeVries.
Memorial donations in Thomas’ memory would be greatly appreciated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary RC Church, 580 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ 07470 or to the Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad, PO Box 291, Wayne, NJ 07474.
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