A life-long volunteer, community builder and long-time director of the Edmonton Heritage Festival, Jack Little, passed away Tuesday after a battle with cancer.
He was 83.
Loved ones say he passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family and friends.
He’s being remembered for his bright smile and community spirit.
In a post about his death on Facebook, his family shared a quote from him: “When you give, you get back more than you give.”
Born in Newmarket, Ont., Little joined the Air Force in 1958. After five years of service based in Edmonton, he went to NAIT and later had a 28-year career in broadcasting.
He took the reins of the Edmonton Heritage Festival as its executive director before retiring at the age of 75.
Little was also a champion for Edmonton’s Food Bank. He served 23 years on the board and six as chair.
Executive director Marjorie Bencz said Little was a long-term friend and advocate for the food bank.
“He did everything from supporting and mentoring staff to helping the organization with marketing and media and building those kinds of relationships,” she said.
Bencz praised his leadership, his encouragement and his desire to do things right.
“He passed those life experiences on to others and shared them broadly. He believed in really trying to make our community a better place and he really devoted more of his retirement years into that sphere.
“He volunteered not only with Edmonton’s Food Bank but with many other organizations here in the city.”
Little worked with the Greater Edmonton Foundation, the Better Business Bureau, Edmonton Community Loan Fund, NAIT advisory committee and the Western Association of Broadcasters.
Tamisan Bencz-Knight, manager at the food bank, credits Little for bringing the Heritage Festival out of bankruptcy and also setting up Edmonton’s Food Bank for success.
“I have a lot of fond memories of Jack helping me learn and develop my writing and media and communications with him back in the early 2000s.
“And I have fond memories of him swearing at me and driving away in his golf cart, but we had a very unique relationship,” she said with a laugh.
“People all knew him for his wonderful smile and his sense of humour,” Bencz said. “It’s about accomplishing things … but he also expected us to enjoy life.”
Little’s family says anyone who would like to make a memorial tribute should donate to Edmonton’s Food Bank or Dayspring Presbyterian Church.
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