Friends, family remember veteran, teacher Dale Little

Clarence Dale Little, 78, better known as Dale, died Thursday at the Colorado State Veterans Living Center in Homelake. 

Friends and family remember him as a man with many talents and skills. After a 25-year career in the U.S. Army, he retired as a lieutenant colonel and went on to teach math at Salida Middle School for 17 years while also working in real estate for 20 years.

He had suffered from Parkinson’s disease, but his death was unexpected. Parkinson’s is believed to be attributed to exposure to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam. He had lived at Homelake for the past three years.

Fred Quick, a friend and co-worker, said, “We were good friends for a long time. I served in the Army, so we had that to talk about. He was amazing for everything he did. He was just a happy-go-lucky fellow and very interesting to talk to. We worked together in real estate, helped each other a lot and had a lot of good talks.”

Friends Pat Findley and Jim Clifton said, “We felt grateful that we had a chance to know Dale and learn about his extraordinary life, which involved several successful careers.

“One thing that stands out is when we moved to Salida in 2000, Dale had been a teacher, and we noticed that every time a former student saw him in public they didn’t just say hi – they ran up and gave him a hug. He had such a positive influence on the kids he interacted with. He changed their lives for the best.”

Sharon Valdez Malette was one of those students.

“He was not just a math teacher – he was my favorite teacher,” Malette said. “He was a great mentor, encouraging and a great motivator. Mr. Little taught me to understand numbers and with his help I developed a real liking for math.

“In the late 1990s I was living in Santa Fe, N.M., and working at a Wild Oats store. One day I looked up and there stood Mr. Little. After all the years that had passed, in his presence I still felt like that middle school girl – eager, excited and motivated. Mr. Little touched so many hearts, and I’m grateful that one of them was mine.”

Kay and Roger Bill knew Little as a neighbor and friend.

“He was a wonderful man,” Kay said. “He was gentle, kind and loving, and Roger and I feel so lucky to have had him as a friend and neighbor.”

The Rev. Dr. Bill Swegart was pastor of First Presbyterian Church when he and his wife, Marilyn, met Little and his wife, Sally. Later the Littles attended River Valley Community Church, where Bill is now pastor.

“Dale had a heart for others – his family, church and learning,” Marilyn said. “He was a wonderful man. I also worked with him on the Christian Education Board at the Presbyterian Church and we were good friends.”

Dr. Bill Mehos said, “I had the good fortune of knowing Dale Little for several years, not nearly long enough. I played racquetball three times a week with him for several years, and although I won a handball championship at the University of Colorado, my expertise in racquetball paled in comparison to his, so I was wise to always have him as my partner when we played doubles. The point of the game was to win, and Dale always won because he always was a winner.

“All the time I knew him he never detailed his illustrious and remarkable military career.

“It is so sad to see an individual with such outstandingly remarkable physical coordination be overtaken by such a disabling disease as Parkinson’s. He fought the disease with courage right up to the end. We will miss him dearly.”

Retired Sgt. 1st Class Wilen Hopkins was another of Dale Little’s students who struggled with math.

“LTC Little, or Mr. Little to me, was one of the most impressionable men in my life,” Hopkins said. “He was also my wrestling coach. He was always approachable and compassionate and he made learning easy. He made learning math easier. He’d bet you against your grades. Never any money, but bets were paid with cans of soda in my case. The bet was on an assignment or test, challenging the students to strive for a better grade.

“In wresting, he gave me my nickname ‘Hoppy.’ He said I jumped around the mat like a frog, and due to my last name, it stuck.

“Mr. Little was also one of the few military veterans I knew growing up. He supported my plan to join the military and through my years of service gave me support. He is one of few men in my life that has been so inspirational and supportive. I respect him and grieve his passing and salute him for the man and the inspiration he was.”

Hopkins concluded with a quote from Gen. George Patton: “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.”