Imogene Little

Imogene Little passed away peacefully on January 26, 2011, in Hamilton. She was 85 years old.

Visitation and services are pending until family members are able to travel.

Imogene Beekman was born in Pike County, Ohio, on August 28, 1925. She was raised on her grandparents’ farm and attended a small community school.

She graduated from London High School in 1943, and immediately planned a vacation to Texas with her girlfriend, JoAnn.

They both obtained jobs in Dallas and stayed in rooms at the YMCA while they worked. Imogene met Lambert Wood Little in 1947 through a mutual friend, and they were married on July 28, 1947.

In 1949, they began their family one that grew so large that Lambert jokingly referred to it as the “tribe. II They lived in Dallas on Stichter Street until 1958. That year they moved out of Dallas to raise Mary, Ginnie, Marty, John, and Lambert Jr. on the Santa Teresa Ranch in Hamilton.

Imogene touched many lives in Hamilton and almost every family, especially the families with small children.

She taught Red Cross Swimming Lessons at the city pool until Lambert Sr. built her a pool at the Ranch to “keep her at home.

The first year Imogene taught, she awarded over 300 swimming certificates. Imogene continued to teach swimming at the Ranch for many years until Lambert’s death in 1968. She took over the operation of the cattle ranch, and she bought and sold cattle until 1977. With the help of her children, she opened the Santa Teresa Ranch Steak House in 1977. Imogene’s cooking was already famous locally, and the restaurant thrived with no advertisement for about six years.
Imogene decided to sell the Ranch and retire in town, but she didn’t retire.

She spent the next 11 or 12 summers cooking at the Bear Creek Angus Ranch in Montana for Bill and Doris Bricker. She loved the weather there and always looked forward to going back. In 1999, Lambert Jr. built the house next to the Yacht Club, where Imogene resided until she entered the nursing home in 2004 of her own accord.

Imogene had always been an avid reader. She loved to work on crossword puzzles, and late in life, she discovered a passion for oil painting. She completed many oil paintings, which are displayed in her house.

Most of all, Imogene never lost her passion for cooking. After a lot of coaxing from the children, she published her own cookbook called Texas Ranch Recipes, which contains several well- known recipes from the Steak House.

Imogene was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Hamilton for about 50 years, the Maude Shockley Art Club and the Hamilton Study Club. She had also been a member of Eastern Star.

She was preceded in death by her husband of twenty years, Lambert Wood Little Sr., a daughter, Mary Louise Little, and her mother, Grace Blair of Hillsboro, OH.

She is survived by her children Ginnie Sasse in Gatesville, TX, Marty Richardson and husband Rad of Sherman, TX, John Lambert Little and wife Allison of Plantation, FL, and Lambert Wood Little Jr. of Clarendon, TX. Her greatest pride was her three grandchildren, Jeremy Gautier, LeAnn Barr, and Rachel Young and husband, Patrick. She is also survived by two brothers, Robert Blair and wife, Paula of Winchester, OH. and James Blair and wife, Gloria of Sardinia, OH., and two nephews and one niece.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church in Hamilton or CCS Hospice, 118 E. Live Oak, Dublin, TX 76446.