Dr. Robert “Bobby” A. Little of Gulfport, Mississippi passed away peacefully on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. Dr. Little was born in Oxford, Mississippi to Dr. Ashford Hunter and Minnie Ruth Tomlinson Little. In addition to his loving wife Phyllis Little; he is survived by his children, Ashford (Catherine) Little of Atlanta, Georgia, Mary Eliza (Paul) Aston of New York City, New York, and stepdaughter Joni (Mark) McDonald of Houston, Texas; and grandchildren, Nathan, Davis, and Amalie Little, Blake Aston, and Henry, Charles, Grayson, and Cooper McDonald.
Born on May 5, 1930, Dr. Little grew up in Oxford which, while in Lafayette County, Mississippi, was also believed by many to be the fictional Yoknapatawpha County of William Faulkner’s many books. He attended the local Oxford public schools before enrolling in the University of Mississippi. Choosing medicine as his father had, but also being heavily influenced by his neighbor Dr. Arthur Guyton who literally wrote the Textbook of Medical Physiology, Dr. Little matriculated to Tulane University School of Medicine as the fourth generation of men in the Little family to do so. Graduating in 1960, Dr. Little completed his residency in San Francisco and settled in Gulfport joining the Ear, Eye, Nose & Throat Clinic with Drs. Hayes, Cleveland & Rouse. He later opened his own practice at Garden Park Medical Plaza where he practiced until his retirement.
Dr. Little loved his home, especially when it was clean and orderly, and was affectionately referred to as “Dr. Clean” by his friends. Having learned to sail on Sardis Lake with the assistance of a certain author (William Faulkner whom he called Mr. Bill), Dr. Little loved spending time with his family on his 27’ Bristol sailboat. In addition to sailing, Dr. Little enjoyed many lifelong pastimes, including snow skiing (after first learning while in his residency in California), cars of the British and German variety (and a motorcycle), boating (on his beloved wooden boat, the Miss Phyllis), and playing tennis (even competing for the Ole Miss tennis team). He also cherished Phyllis’s cooking, daily swims in his pool, spending time in Steamboat, Colorado at his cabin, and watching a good tennis match.
A special thank you to Dr. Little’s caregivers, especially Addie and Kimberly, for the excellent medical attention he received until his death. Dr. Little was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Jo Love Little; and his brother, Dr. Hunter Lee Little.
A private graveside service will be held at the Oxford Memorial (St. Peter’s) Cemetery, with Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport and Waller Funeral Home, Oxford assisting the family. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport is honored to serve the family of Dr. Robert Little.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the charity or organization of your choice.
