Gail G. Little, 93, formerly of Libby

Gail Garland Little, 93, of Newcastle, died May 22, 2012 at Weston County Manor.

She was born June 9, 1918, in Walla Walla, Wash., to James Russell and Winnie Jane Garland Peters. She attended school in Walla Walla and Spokane.

On Aug. 1, 1934, she married Jacob W. Little in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. They lived with Jake’s parents until moving to the ranch 50 miles west of Kalispell in Pleasant Valley. The year was 1937.

Gail was city raised, but loved the ranch. By 1938 she had three children. In 1943, Jake moved the family to Dallas, Texas, where he worked in an aviation plant; 13 months later mom and the kids took off for home in a Studebaker pickup. 

In the spring, the main ranch house burned down. They moved to a little two-room log cabin on another part of the ranch. Jake went to work in Kalispell, and Gail and her three hands went to work milking cows, riding horseback working cattle, fixing fence, making hay and feeding in the winter. She did it all plus cooked and sewed.

In 1985, they moved to Libby, Mont. Jake died after 63 years of marriage in 1997.

Gail is survived by two sons, Charlie Little of Anahim Lake, British Columbia, Canada, and Lee Little of Libby; one daughter, Anna Lou Andersen of Newcastle; 13 grandchildren and numerous great- and great-great grandchildren. 

She is also survived by Shirley Schwarz of McPherson, Kansas, whom she loved and called daughter.

Cremation has taken place and her ashes will be taken by one of her grandsons to a little country cemetery outside of Troy, Mont., and buried beside her husband’s urn.

A memorial service was held in Newcastle at the First Christian Church on Saturday, June 9. Memorials may be sent to Weston County Manor.