Elias Fay "Lyle" Little

Elias Fay "Lyle" Little, 96, of Missoula, passed away Monday, Sept. 2, 2013, at the Village Health Care Center of natural causes.

He was born Feb. 21, 1917, in Taylorville, Alberta, to Edward Fay Little and Alta Jane Empey.

As a young man, he lived on the family farm in southern Alberta and was educated in local schools. He loved baseball and played catcher on the local team even after he was married. He was very mechanically inclined, learning much from his father and from training in airplane mechanics during a time in the Royal Canadian Air Force, where he also became an instructor.

On Feb. 10, 1938, he married his sweetheart, Loretta Lowry, in the Cardston, Alberta, LDS Temple. He continued to run the family farm after his parents moved to nearby Cardston. He spent some time working in the oil fields in Turner Valley, Alberta.

On Nov. 4, 1948, the family relocated to Utah where he was employed at the steel mill in Provo and then as a auto mechanic in Spanish Fork and Logan. In the summer of 1952 they moved to Missoula, where he worked as an auto mechanic at H.O. Bell Ford until he took a position as a millwright at the paper mill in Frenchtown in the early '60s. He loved the outdoors and spent much time with the family camping, fishing and hunting. He grew wonderful vegetable gardens.

He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held many positions of responsibility including serving in ward bishoprics and the Stake High Council. He was a member of the Missoula Third Ward High Priest Group. In December 1981 he and Loretta were called on a mission for the church to the Singapore Mission; they served in Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore. They reported this as one of the highlights of their life.

He and Loretta loved their family and spent much time with them. They also had many friends and spent time traveling with them and at Flathead Lake with their RVs.

Survivors include three daughters, Joan (Austin) of Billings, Bonnie (Ron) of St. George, Utah, and Sherry (Bill) of Sandy, Utah; a son, Reed (Saundra) of Missoula, 23 grandchildren; 53 great-grandchildren (with twin girls on the way); and two great-great-grandchildren.

A viewing will be from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Monday, Sept. 9, in the Relief Society Room at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3050 South Ave. W., in Missoula followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m. in the chapel. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Cemetery following the service. Garden City Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

The family appreciates the health care workers and LDS church members who have helped so much.

Read Elias Little's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.