Dr. Sara Pamela Little

LITTLE, Dr. Sara Pamela , died Wednesday, March 4, 2009 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Little was born March 9, 1919 in Charlotte, N.C., the daughter of the late John Hampton Little and Beulah Campbell Little. She graduated from Queens College in 1939. Sara taught English and Math in the North Carolina public schools for three years and then earned her Masters of Religious Education degree at the Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond in 1944. She received her Ph.D. in religion from Yale University in 1958 and also completed post-doctoral studies at Harvard University. She received an honorary Doctor of Humanities from Queens College in 1972. Sara Little began her career in christian education working with the Presbyterian Synod of North Carolina in Sunday School Extension, leadership development, and as a youth and college coordinator. Dr. Little taught in Richmond at the Presbyterian School of Christian Education, and later became the first woman professor at Union Theological Seminary, teaching christian education until her retirement in 1989. After retirement, she taught at Columbia Seminary in Atlanta and later at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, Calif., where she became interim Vice President and Dean from 1990-92. Sara then returned to Richmond and became the Director of the Doctoral Program at PSCE and also taught in the doctoral program at Union Seminary. Always known as a teacher and lecturer, Sara Little also has written numerous books and many essays in her field. Recently one of her books, "To Set One's Heart" was translated into Japanese (its sixth language), and now is being translated into Russian. In 1994, Dr. Little was the fourth person and the first woman to receive the Distinguished Service Medal of the Association of Theological Schools in the U.S. and Canada. She was honored for her many years of commitment to influencing students in their journeys in theological education. Sara has traveled the globe and lived in Richmond, Boston, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Germany, England, Mexico and Korea. She moved to Sharon Towers in 2001 to be closer to family. She was preceded in death by her sister, Helen Little Pickard and brother-in-law, the Reverend Dr. H. Edwin Pickard. She is survived by four nieces and nephews: Sharon Pickard Merritt of Dalton, Ga., Cambey Pickard Gallagher of Charlotte, N.C., John Hampton Pickard of Raleigh, N.C. and Sara Pickard Finger of Hickory; as well as nine great-nieces and nephews. It would take several pages to list all of the professional activities, honors, and publications of Dr. Little. She has always been an advocate for women and improving the quality of life of those less fortunate. Her nieces and nephew would like to remember "Sasa", as they affectionately called her, as the aunt who took each of them to New York to shop and attend plays, enjoyed rock hopping in Montreat, and chocolate chip cookies for breakfast. A memorial service to celebrate Sara Little's life will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, 2009 at Sharon Presbyterian Church, 5201 Sharon Road, in Charlotte, N.C. Memorials may be made to Union-PSCE, 3401 Brook Road, Richmond, Va. 23227, or to Queens University of Charlotte, 1900 Selwyn Avenue, Charlotte, N.C. 28274. The family wishes to thank the staff at Sharon Towers for all of their help and support and to Rosanna and Joe Fountain for their years of friendship and unselfish dedication to Sara. Arrangements are in the care of Hankins & Whittington Funeral service online at www.hankinsandwhittington.com.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.