Herman I. Little, Jr. passed away on Sunday, March 4, 2012, at the age of 67. He and his wife of almost 46-years, Molly Claire Vestal Little, had moved from Kingwood, near Houston, to a new Hill Country home, which together they had built near Boerne, Texas. Mr. Little was born in Salt Lake City on September 30, 1944, the son of a career Air Force officer. As a young boy he lived in many states including Alaska, Hawaii, and Virginia where at age nine he first met Molly at Columbia Baptist Church. After graduating from Punahou School in Honolulu, he won a Navy ROTC scholarship to the University of Oklahoma. Mr. Little received his B.A. in history from OU and was commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. After completing the Marine infantry course, he served as a platoon commander and company officer, and saw combat in Vietnam. After his military separation, Mr. Little attended law school at the University of Texas at Austin where he was awarded his J.D. in 1972. After graduation, he clerked for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, followed by service as assistant attorney general under Texas AG, John Hill. Mr. Little later was recruited by the elite, Houston-based law firm of Smith and Murdaugh; during his distinguished 35-year legal career, Mr. Little earned full partnership status with the firm as reflected in the change of the firm’s name to Smith, Murdaugh, Little and Bonham, LLP. He was an acknowledged expert in development law whose legal advice was widely sought by municipal utility districts across the state.

Mr. Little’s life away from the law was marked by an even greater accomplishment as a devout and capable leader in his church affiliations throughout his entire life. He was a figurative pillar of responsible leadership at Kingwood First Baptist Church for more than 25-years, as reflected in his building committee chairmanship for the church’s major expansion in the late 1980s. He also served as trustee, deacon, Bible study leader, and played string bass in the church orchestra. His unswerving commitment to his faith was a shining beacon that led others by the example that he set. The loving family that survives him gave him great strength and capacity, while his compassionate heart provided comfort, encouragement, and generous friendship to all those who knew him. His loss will be deeply felt because he gave every last measure of his gifts with nothing expected in return. While he knew himself and his course in life, he died knowing too that God, his wife, and his family loved him dearly. In addition to his wife, his daughters Jennifer, Mary Claire, their husbands Matt and John, grandchildren Emma, Cooper, Rose, and Annaclaire, and sisters Marilyn and Elaine, along with a large and loving extended family, survive him.

A memorial service will be held at Kingwood First Baptist Church on Saturday, March 10, 2012, at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Herman and Mary Jane Little Scholarship Fund at the Texas Baptist Children’s Home, 1301 North Mays St., Round Rock, TX 78664 www.childrenattheheartministries.org, or the Kingwood First Baptist Church, 3500 Woodland Hills Dr., Kingwood, TX 77339. To leave condolences for the family and to view a video of Mr. Little’s life, please visit www.ebensberger-fisher.com and select the Obituaries tab.

Arrangements with Ebensberger-Fisher Funeral Home of Boerne, TX.