Dr. Mary T Littlejohn

Dr. Mary T Bobbitt Littlejohn, 99, was received into the welcoming arms of her Lord on Sunday, April 30, 2017. She peacefully passed away at Willow Brooke Center, Park Pointe Village in Rock Hill, York County, South Carolina. She was preceded in death by her parents,her brother, Bailey Matthewson Bobbitt, Jr., her sister-in-law, Barbara Bennett Bobbitt, and her elder son, Dr. Samuel McGowan Littlejohn, Jr. Dr. Littlejohn was born on July 22, 1917 in Ada, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma to Rebecca Anne Tolbert Bobbitt and Bailey Matthewson Bobbitt, Sr. She was the elder of two children. The “T” in her name (never with a period) stood for her paternal grandmother, Tennessee “Tennie” Stanfield Bobbitt. The name Mary was for her maternal grandmother, Mary Savage Tolbert. She was married to Samuel McGowan Littlejohn, Sr. from August 1940 until 1973. He passed away in 1976. Dr. Littlejohn attended elementary school in Ada, Oklahoma and junior and senior high school in Hamburg, New York. At age nineteen, she earned her Bachelors of Arts degrees in English and French from Trinity College, Waxahachie, Texas (now Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas). After college, she was employed at The University of North Carolina Press in Chapel Hill as she was beginning a masters in English. While at Chapel Hill, she met her future husband, Samuel McGowan Littlejohn, Sr., whom she married in August 1940. After World War II, they resided in Minneapolis, Minnesota where she was very active in politics. In 1957, she and her family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina until 1973. In 1963, she received a Masters in Education/Guidance and in 1966, a PhD in Educational Psychology both from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. For two years, she was a junior high school guidance counselor in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system. In 1965, she moved to Winthrop University, Rock Hill, South Carolina (at that time Winthrop College). As a faculty member, Dr. Littlejohn was elected by her peers as faculty representative to the Board of Trustees, was selected as Distinguished Professor, and was four times recognized by the student honor society Phi Kappa Phi for distinguished teaching. She worked as a faculty intern in the reorganization of the college administration and in 1975 she was appointed to the position of Vice President of Student Affairs. She was instrumental in implementing the Title IX policies at the university. Dr. Littlejohn retired in 1982. She became a member of Unity Presbyterian Church in Fort Mill in 1973 where she served three times as an elder and taught Sunday school. During retirement, Dr. Littlejohn found pleasure on her quiet farm in Fort Mill, South Carolina gardening all day long, playing golf and bridge, reading to her heart’s content, and watching Tar Heels basketball games. In 2001, she made the excellent decision to move to Park Pointe Village, Rock Hill, South Carolina, where she resided until her death. Her children and grandchildren will always be indebted to Mary T for her ability to nurture and encourage integrity, intellectual curiosity, and the love of reading. Dr. Littlejohn is survived by her loving family: her daughter-in-law, Ann Robey Littlejohn of South Carolina; Dr. Robert Grayson Littlejohn and his wife, Jean of California; Anne Rebecca Littlejohn of North Carolina; and Jeanette Tolbert Littlejohn Bush and her husband, William Sydney Bush of Texas; six loving grandchildren: Christina Lea Littlejohn, Wesley Robert Littlejohn and his wife, Sally Culver Littlejohn, Dr. Rosemary Tolbert Bush and her husband, Dr. Steven Won, Rebecca Edrea Bush, William Shively Bush, and Anna Mary Alice Littlejohn; and four great-grandchildren: Jubilee Leenhouts, Evan Littlejohn, Ansley Littlejohn, and Sean Bush Won. Her life was additionally enriched by her brother’s children: Becky Bobbitt Hayes, David Bobbitt and his wife Becky Bobbitt, Bailey Bobbitt and his wife, Corrine Bobbitt, and Barbara Bobbitt Wolfe; and their respective families. The family is grateful for the tender care given to their mother by the dedicated staff at Park Pointe Village and Hospice & Community Care. The Celebration of Life service will held on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at 11:00 a.m., Unity Presbyterian Church, Fort Mill, South Carolina with a reception afterwards in the Fellowship Hall. Dr. Littlejohn will be interred in the church columbarium. Memorial contributions in Dr. Littlejohn’s name may be made to Unity Presbyterian Church, Fort Mill, South Carolina, www.unityfortmill.org.Read Obituary