John Darol Little, 60, a resident of Freeland for the past 13 years, born in Bishop, Calif. Sept. 7, 1947 passed away March 7, 2008 in Everett, after a short battle with cancer.

John grew up in Big Pine, Calif. and was a Viet Nam veteran. While in Viet Nam he met his best friend, Leo DeCoster, a friendship that has endured for 39 years. “Leo, we all love you like a brother too.”

After living in Alaska for 12 years John returned to California for a short time then moved to Washington state. There, using his skills as a master carpenter, John developed a very successful company building custom homes. Always working at his side was his friend and business partner, Ralph Brotherton. They shared a bond that we are grateful for. “Thank you Ralph.”

To all of his friends in the construction trade, the family thanks you for being John’s friend and for calling and visiting him during his illness. It meant a lot to John and to all of us.

John’s hobbies in Washington were fishing and elk hunting, beach walking and just enjoying the beauty of Whidbey Island. John loved his life and home on Whidbey Island. We think he found peace in his heart and knew he was loved unconditionally.

John was a wonderful tenderhearted man who loved his family deeply and was loved in return by all. Not only was he proud of the achievements of his own three children, but all the children in the family. He always dispensed words of wisdom learned through life’s hard knocks and hoped to help them make wise decisions and was there for any who needed help. Most of all, John was a brother, a father, a grandfather, an uncle, our friend and our hero.

John is survived by his son, Monte Zachariah “Zach” Little and wife, Annie; son, Paul Leo Little, and daughter, Terry Ross; five grandchildren, Darol, Shaun, Rachael, Hannah and Andrew; three sisters and their spouses, Ann and Louie Muniz, Eve and Bill Cole, and Melinda and Leo DeCoster; nieces and nephews Lisa and David Gilberts, Marty and Dona Hunter, David and Michelle Plaza, Louie Muniz, Teresa Henninger, Casey and Allison Cole, Charles and Trina DeCoster; great nieces and nephews Kelly Ann Mojarro, Jason Gilberts, Jacqueline and Bella Hunter, Michael, BreAnna, Tristan and Dakota Plaza, Madeleine Muniz Emma Cole and Mahaley DeCoster.

John is preceded in death by both his parents Monte and Ann Little.

A celebration and commemoration of his life will be held this summer in Big Pine, Calif.