J. Rodney Little

Rodney Little passed on June 24th from heart failure. His death was unexpected since he had recently completed treatment for a small throat cancer. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend to many. Rodney was born on August 18th, 1945, in Miami, FL to John and Jean Little. He grew up in Hialeah and went on to graduate from East Tennessee University. He also received a master's degree in American History from Florida State University. For 33 years he served as Director of the Maryland Historical Trust and as the Maryland State Historic Preservation Officer. He retired in 2014. Among his many awards, he received the Historic Annapolis, Board of Trustees Lifetime Achievement Award for Historic Preservation in 2019. In addition to being an avid reader, Rodney had a passion for cooking. He spent many hours perfecting recipes and dishes that were loved by many. He was also an accomplished guitarist and loved music. Rodney is survived by his wife, Sherry, stepdaughter Francesca (Lee), grandchildren Ellie and Claire; daughter Cary Little Brown and two grandchildren; and brother Michael Little. Rodney's family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at Johns Hopkins Hospital for their care and compassion. If desired, contributions may be made in his memory to the Maryland Historical Trust (P.O. Box 43, Crownsville, MD 21032).