Northampton, Massachusetts
1934 - 2025
Elena (Lella) Gandini Little Northampton, MA - It is with deep sadness that we mark the passing of Elena (Lella) Gandini Little, a renowned educator, author, and tireless advocate for early childhood education, who died on June 16, 2025, in Northampton, Massachusetts, at the age of 90. Lella's...
Read MoreI was saddened to read of Lella's passing and send my condolences to all her family. I knew, admired and respected her as a faculty member and a Smith community member. Her influence benefitted my daughter's early development at Fort Hill and the South Deerfield Elementary's wonderful Emilio Regio program. May she rest in eternal peace.
Mary Irwin
June 24, 2025 | School
How sad I was to get this news. Lella was a lovely and gifted person. May the Lord give her eternal peace, eternal joy, eternal love.
alice clemente
June 23, 2025
Lella, and Lester, were a joy to work for, or just to run into about town. Please accept my deep condolences.
Susie (Rorie) Woods
June 22, 2025
Lella was my mentor. This photo was taken during her visit to the Smith College Center for Early Childhood Education at Fort Hill in May 2022-the site of her seminal research on The Emergence of Style in Three-Year-Olds. Sending much love to Lester, Andrew, Ian, her grandchildren, and the countless lives she touched and continues to inspire through her immense body of work. I love you Lella, rest in peace.
Kristina Lamour Sansone
June 21, 2025
