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Deanna Dawn Gaither Little was born on Friday, December 27, 1957 in
Lawton, Okla. and died Sunday, July 20, 2003 at Presbyterian Hospital,
Dallas. She was the first child of Billy Donald and Gayle Gaither who
lived in Poteau at the time of her birth. Before Dawn began third grade
the family moved to Durant and Dawn became a gifted scholar and musician
in the Durant School System. She graduated at the top of her class in
1976 and was named among the first six women in the United States to be
accepted as cadets at the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado
Springs, Colo.
After her first successful year at the USAFA, Dawn resigned her
appointment and returned to school at SOSU with a double major in
chemistry and math. Upon completion of her studies Dawn was hired as a
lab technician at Texas Instruments to work on a solar energy project
with Jack Kilby, considered the father of the microchip and a 2000
winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics. She later worked on research in
infrared technology and steadily climbed the corporate ladder until she
became a member of the technical staff, and Manager, FPA Production
Operations. When DRS bought her division in the late 90s, she was
promoted into Finance full time as Manager of Compliance and Planning.
She loved her job and the wonderful people with whom she worked.
Dawn met Bradley Warren Little of Tucson, Ariz. in 1980; they married in
1982, established a home in Dallas, and lived happily ever after. Theirs
was a marriage of deep commitment and fairy tale happiness. Proof of
their great love was evidenced in their partnership against the ovarian
cancer that struck Dawn more than three years ago. She will be sorely
missed by him and by all of those whose lives she touched. Anyone who
came in contact with her during this struggle was inspired by her
courage, dignity, love of life, and ability to think of those around her
before thinking of herself.
She is survived by her husband, Brad, her mother Gayle Gaither of
Durant, her sister, Gaye, of Chicago, and her brother, Chris, of
Pensacola, Fla. Also surviving are her grandfather, Howard (Papa Doc)
Caldwell and his wife Betty, her uncle Tommy Caldwell and his wife Koko,
her uncle Kenneth Gaither and his wife Robbie, all of Poteau. Her uncle
Norman Gaither and his wife Lynda reside in Kerrville, Texas. Other
survivors from her Tucson family are her parents-in-law, Bob and Jerry
Little; her brothers-in-law Sarg Little and his wife Debbie, and Blair
Little and his wife Shela. She has seven first cousins and six nieces
and nephews who will miss her greatly.
The family has requested that memorials be in the form of donations to
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 297153, Houston, TX 77297,
attention Dawn Little Memorial Fund, and the proceeds will go directly
for ovarian cancer research. A toll-free number is available for those
wishing to use credit cards: 1.800.525.5841.
A memorial service is planned for 11:30 a.m. Thursday, July 24, 2003, in
the Memorial Chapel of Restland Funeral Home, 9220 Restland Road,
Dallas, TX. The Reverend Josh Rowley, First Presbyterian Church, Durant,
Okla. will be in charge of the service.
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