Esther Mariah Littrell

Esther Mariah Littrell, daughter of the late Albert and Edith (Ferguson) Powell, was born on April 11, 1930 in Atchison County, Missouri and passed away on January 20, 2011 at her residence south of Norwood, Missouri, at 80 years of age.


Esther grew up and attended Bertha and Champion Schools and graduated from Mtn. Grove High School in 1948.


She was united in marriage to Elmer Smallwood following high school. Three children were born to this union, Louis Dean, Lois Jean and David Leon. After her divorce, she attended the Teachers College in Springfield, Missouri. She later married Joba Allen Littrell in November of 1954. One daughter, Vera, was born to this union.

Esther taught her first year at East Fairview School. She taught four years in California and later in Nebraska. She believed strongly in Christian education and when her last child began school, she went to teach in the public school system so she could afford for all her children to attend Seventh Day Adventist Schools. While living in Nebraska, she graduated from Kearney State College with her Bachelor of Arts in Education.

In 1969, the family moved back to Missouri. Esther taught math at Norwood High School and also served two years as principal. After seven years, she returned to teach in the Seventh Day Adventist School system in Springfield. She then moved to Poplar Bluff, Missouri where she taught eight years and then retired. However, her love of children and teaching led her to teach for Willow Springs School for one year. She retired for a second time. Following retirement, she felt called to teach at Advent Home for boys in Tennessee where she taught for two years. She retired once again and moved back to Mtn. Grove. She also home schooled one of her grandchildren through her eighth grade year. She taught a total 44 1/2 years in public and private schools.


She was active at home and in her church. She believed firmly in Jesus Christ as her Savior and wanted to share her beliefs with everyone.


Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband: Joba Littrell in 1983; and by a son: Louis Dean.


She is survived by one son: David Littrell and his wife, Nancy, of Norwood, Missouri; two daughters: Lois Jean Maddox and her husband, Bill, of Norwood, Missouri and Vera Ellen Hart and her husband, Harold, of the State of Florida; daughter-in-law: Sherry Littrell of the State of Arkansas; thirteen grandchildren; twenty-two great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives, friends, former students, and church family who will miss her.

Memorial Contributions:
Seventh Day Adventist Christian Education Fund c/o the funeral home.