Thelma “Phyllis” Lewis Little of Bradenton passed away at the age of 100 on June 3, 2026.
She was born February 6, 1926 (2/6/26 as she liked to say) to Claude V. Lewis and Thelma Phyllis Little, in Faith Hospital (now St. Anthony’s) in St. Petersburgh Florida. She was the oldest of 4 girls.
During the great depression, her family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where she attended Anne E. West Elementary School, Murphy Junior High and graduated from Girls High in Atlanta. In the fall of 1946, she was hired by the art department of The Atlanta Constitution where her art was used as by the advertising department.
On September 9, 1950, she was married to Harry W. Little, in a ceremony at North Avenue Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia. They were married for 65 years before his passing in September of 2015. Shortly after the wedding they left to study a year at Hartford Seminary in preparation for their work in the mission field for the United Methodist Church. They were commissioned as missionaries in 1951 and assigned to the Belgium Congo. After spending a year studying French in Belgium, they reported to the Kapanga Methodist Mission adjacent to Musumba. They served ten years in the mission field and Phyllis had many wonderful stories that she told about their time there. Some of these stories can be found in the book she co-authored with Harry Little “This Is Our Story; This Is Our Song” available on Amazon.
She was the definition of a true Chirstian woman. She always had a smile for everyone and never spoke in anger or disgust. She was loved by all at The Woodlands and The Windsor, where she spent her last decade of life. She loved art and was an art history major. She leaves behind many of her wonderful works of art to be revered by future generations. She was a member of Parrish United Methodist Church.
Phyllis is survived by her sister, Jessie of St. Petersburg's, Florida; her son Melton and daughter- in- law Erin, her daughter Cathy Strate and son-in-law Doug, her grandchildren, Miles and his partner Karly, Aiden and Lena and her great grandchild Jack.
Services will be held Saturday, June 20th at 2:00 pm at Parrish United Methodist Church, 12180 US 301, Parrish, FL., 34219. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Rukang Chikomb, 102 Murray Guard Dr., Apt. R113, Jackson TN, 38305. The monies will go directly to help the village where they served. Psalm 116:15 “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints”.
Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 43rd Street Chapel, 604 43rd Street West, Bradenton, Florida, is in charge of arrangements.
