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Obituary for Betty Lucille Littler
Betty Lucille Littler, 84, of Adair passed away on July 4, 2016 at The New Homestead in Guthrie Center. Visitation will be held from 6-8 P.M. on Friday, July 22nd at the Presbyterian Church in Adair. Memorial service will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, July 23rd at the Presbyterian Church in Adair. Burial will be at Sunny Hill Cemetery in Adair. Memorial contributions may be directed to Adair Women’s Club Scholarship Fund and sent in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be left at www.johnsonfamilyfuneralhome.com.
Our Mother, Betty Lucille Cooper Littler, was born on April 29, 1932, in a most conventional manner for the time – in her home. Her parents were Ruth and Robert Cooper. She lived in Adair most of her life and attended rural schools.
On February 1, 1948, Betty began her more unconventional life when she married Robert Littler, in Utah. After a brief stay in California, they returned to Adair. Later they traveled to Texas were Bob was to report to the military. The two of them had many adventures and made many good friends while stationed in Texas and California. After Bob was discharged they returned home to Adair where they raised four sons. They were married for 52 years.
In Adair, Betty was the first woman member of the Adair Fire Department, and was the first woman to be certified as an EMT with the Adair Rescue Squad. She was named Fireman of the Year in 1984 and EMT of the Year in 1988.
As her boys were progressing through high school, Betty got her GED and progressed to a degree in Licensed Practical Nursing from Iowa Western Community College. She was employed at Adair Community Health Center for 29 years, starting as an aide then as an LPN. She loved her patients and their families. She also loved teaching people about how to care for others, mentoring many nursing students, and she continued to “teach” something to every health care giver she came into contact with in the past few years.
Betty could always be counted on to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed it. She was a Cub Scout Den Leader and a Sunday school teacher. She was chosen as Adair’s Citizen of the Year in 1999. She was very involved in the Adair Women’s Club and served as President for several years. Her favorite project was the Tour of Homes/Festival of Trees at Christmas time.
In fact, Betty never met a holiday or festival she DIDN’T like. She had a tree for every room in her house at Christmas, she always had a costume ready for any parade or Halloween, and she continued to share her love of holidays with the other residents of the New Homestead Apartments.
Betty enjoyed gardening, traveling, crafts, and making baby quilts—quilts which can be found all over the world. She also enjoyed music in every form. She sang and played the trumpet. She and Bob played trumpet for the Adair Community Band and the VFW.
Betty did many things very well, but being a Grandma was what she loved best. Whether it was accompanying her grandchildren on grand adventures to places like Chicago, Washington DC, New York City, riding the roller coasters at Disney World, or smaller adventures like playing the “job game” (a trick to get her less than enthusiastic sons and then her similarly motivated grandchildren to help with chores), teaching needle point, or playing a rousing game of “Find the Gnome” in her back yard—Grandma was up to the task.
Betty is survived by her children: Philip and Deb Littler of Dexter, John and Karen Littler of Casey, and Charles Littler of Iowa City. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Ryan and Erin Littler, Brad Littler, Todd and Haylee Littler, Tara and Cory Scholl, Amber and Corey Chalupa, Lindsay and Mike Antikainen, Josef Littler, Samuel and Nicole Littler, Alex Littler, Levi Powell-Littler, Joshua Powell-Littler and Molly Powell-Littler. Her great-grandchildren are: Isaac and Isabella Littler, Emily and Blake Ritze, Jackson and Liam Littler, Harper, Ian and Carter Antikainen, Tanner and Cooper Scholl, Owen and Makayla Chalupa. She is also survived by one brother, Robert H. (Alice) Cooper; her sister-in-law, Toni Cooper; and many nieces, nephews and friends that will miss her dearly.
She was preceded in death by her husband Bob and their son David, her parents, her sister Peggy and brother Don.
