In Memoriam:
Professor Dolores "Deo" Little, MN, RN

Home > Deo Little

1979 Photo by Marjorie DesRosier, PhD, RN

It is with great sadness that we share with you the news of the passing of Dolores "Deo" Little, MN, RN, FAAN - beloved teacher, mentor, and friend. Born March 14, 1923 in Snoqualmie, WA, she passed away peacefully April 23, after a brief illness. Preceded in death by her mother and father, Bertha and Archie Little, and close friend Marguerite Cobb, MN, RN. She is survived by several cousins and many close friends.

Deo will be remembered for her tremendous energy, intelligence and wit. Her passion for nursing made her an icon in nursing and healthcare in Washington State and nationally. As a professor at the UW School of Nursing from 1959 to her retirement in 1984, she mentored hundreds of students over the course of her career.

Deo's achievements and awards in nursing were numerous. She authored over 60 publications and participated in over 20 research projects throughout her career. Her award winning film "Mrs. Reynolds Needs a Nurse" has been viewed by over two million students and health care providers worldwide. She was inducted into the Washington State Nursing Association Hall of Fame in 1998. Deo touched many lives and will be greatly missed by her friends, students and associates.

• Deo's many contributions to nurses and nursing
  
  
• Her award-winning film: Mrs. Reynolds Needs a Nurse
  
  To watch the film in streaming video, go to: http://www.son.washington.edu/about/h_mrs-reynolds.asp and scroll down to the "Click Here" link below the Mrs. Reynolds Needs a Nurse poster.  The video is 37 minutes and is best viewed with a high-speed connection and Real Player.
  
  
• Comments and tributes from nurses around the country
  
  
• To hear and view an interview with Deo about how she became a nurse and about the making of Mrs Reynolds Needs a Nurse, go to http://www.son.washington.edu/about/h_video-interviews.asp and scroll down the page to Dolores "Deo" Little, and click on "click to play." This 14 minute interview is best viewed with a high-speed connection and RealPlayer.
  
  

In 2000, the Washington State Nurses Foundation established the Dolores "Deo" Little Scholarship Fund in her honor to benefit nursing students seeking a baccalaureate in nursing. For those of you who would like to honor Deo's memory in this way, donations may be made to the "WSNF Dolores Little Scholarship Fund" and mailed to:

Washington State Nurses Foundation
575 Andover Park West, Suite 101
Seattle, WA 98188