B.L. Littleton
B.L. Littleton, 86, passed away peacefully on August 17, 2017, at his home in Zwolle, La., surrounded by his wife, Bea, daughter Kim and his beloved dog Kretzie.
He was a home builder, real estate broker, restaurateur, rancher and pilot.
B.L. was preceded in death by his parents, John Henry and Fannie Yancy Littleton and his 22-month-old son, Barry Lynn Littleton. He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Beatrice Littleton of Zwolle; her daughter, Kimberly Yvette Schoth of Zwolle; son, Bradley Gus Schoth and wife Rachel of Bossier City, La., grandsons Tyler and Mason Schoth of Bossier City; Ida Jean Simcox of Texarkana, Texas, the mother of his children: True Tawana Littleton-Grimes of Minneapolis, Minn.; Bryan L. Littleton, Jr. and wife Diane of Huntsville, Texas; Tonja McAllen of Houston, Texas; Tammy Smith and husband Jeff of Hot Springs, S.D.; and Brent Littleton and wife, Dorothy, of Independence, Kan. Along with their 15 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
B.L. was born November 5, 1930, in Ft. Worth, Texas. And raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he graduated from Roy Miller High School in 1948. He became a heavy equipment Crane operator to help support his widowed mother. B.L. married Ida Jean Napier in 1951. He earned a private pilot’s license soon-after—he logged approximately 10,000 flight hours over his lifetime. In 1958, B.L. transferred his family to Texarkana to expand his home building with Floyd Stone.
In 1961, B.L. founded--and co-owned with Joe Thomson-Superior Construction & Real Estate, which later became Littleton Realtors & Construction. He served as President of the Texarkana Home Builders Association and the Texarkana Realtors Association. B.L. and partner Joe Thomson purchased the first El Chico Restaurant franchise offered to the public in 1968. They built and opened their first El Chico in Texarkana, Ark., a year later.
B.L. was best known as a rancher. His true passion was a love for cattle and horses. His deep love for horses inspired his words to, “Never trust a man who does not like horses!” B.L. retired as a Thoroughbred Race Horse trainer at the age of 75. He spent the rest of his days with Bea and his much-loved dogs at their home on Toledo Bend Lake. Their door was always open to welcome everyone who visited.
Despite declining health over his last years, B.L. always demonstrated a deep faith in God and a strong will not to give up. He had calm confidence that if he died, he would get to see all his loved ones and dear friends again. “I have hope toward God, which hope these men also look forward to, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” – Acts 24:15.
Memorial Service will be 2 P.M. Saturday, August 26, 2017, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 115 Byles Street, Many, La. Patrick Sacco will officiate. Visitation will be announced after the service.