Elizabeth A. "Betty" (Mogavero) Little

SALEM - Mrs. Elizabeth Ann “Betty” (Mogavero) Little 95, of Salem, loving wife of the late Everett Thomas “Mike” Little, died Peacefully on Friday, March 29th, 2024, following a brief illness.

Born in Beverly, Betty was the daughter of the late Salvatore “Sam” and Anna (Sullivan) Mogavero. Raised in Peabody, she attended the Samuel Brown School of Pebody and Essex Agricultural School of Hathorne.

Betty and her husband, Mike, were married on Valentines Day in 1953, shared 51 years of marriage and made Salem their lifelong home.  Betty worked as a telephone operator for New England Telephone Company in Salem and eventually took time off to raise her family. She reentered the workforce as a cook in the Salem School Lunch program. Betty was the head cook at the Saltonstall School for many years. At the time of her retirement, in 1993, she was honored by the Saltonstall School staff at a joyful surprise celebration.

Betty was a strong, energetic, funny, creative, and social woman. She lived life to the fullest and was happiest cooking for and entertaining large gatherings of family and friends at her home(s) in Salem and Seabrook Beach. She was renowned for her special recipes, her award-winning meatballs and chili and her large batches of homemade bean dip, jelly, and piccalilli. She was a talented artist (oil painting), antique collector, gardener and avid reader who loved nature and spending time outdoors. Betty collected seashells at her favorite beach (Seabrook Beach) and painted them, gathered evergreens and pinecones in the woods and decorated her home for the holidays, picked flowers from her gardens, wildflowers, and berries on the side of the road and created beautiful wreaths. She loved to shop and was jokingly referred to as “Bargain Betty” by her husband and children. She enjoyed going to restaurants, plays, museums and live concerts. She appreciated music and was a faithful follower of the live music scene in Salem where she developed close bonds with the singers, musicians, and fellow groupies. She was a friend to many, and her children’s friends were her friends as well. Over the years, Betty “lived it up” on numerous unique adventures, throughout New England, with her best friend and daughter, Mary. She was most proud of her role as wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.

Betty was a past member and president of the PTO of Carlton School, past member of the Polish Legion of American Veterans and current member of the Salem Garden Club since 2005.

Surviving Betty are her children, sons, Michael Little and his wife Mary “Mimi” of Salem, Thomas Little of Seabrook Beach, NH, David Little of Seabrook Beach, NH and his girlfriend Kelly Dixon of Maine, daughter, Mary Little of Salem, her beloved grandchildren, Ryan Little and his wife, Kristen of Norfolk, MA, Patrick Little and his wife, Megan of North Reading, MA, Devin Little of Beverly, MA, her treasured great-grandchildren, Mackenzie Brooke and Adalyn Grace Little of Norfolk, MA and Benjamin Everett Little of North Reading, MA, her brothers, Charles “Chick” Mogavero and his wife, Wendy, Paul Mogavero and his wife, Linda of Peabody, MA, her sister-in-law, Dorothy (Connelly) Little of Peabody, MA several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. In addition to her husband, Everett “Mike” Little, Betty was predeceased by her siblings, brother, Francis “Mike” Mogavero, sister, Joanne (Mogavero) Milaszewski, sisters-in-law, Eleanor (Little) O’Leary, and Jeanne (Evans) Rybicki, and her brother-in-law, Philip Little. Betty was also predeceased by her dear pug, Pearl.

Betty’s family would like to thank the staff of the Lafayette Nursing Home, Marblehead, All Care VNA Hospice, Lynn and most heartfelt thank you to family friend Dr. Lewis Hays for his compassionate care of Betty and her family during the difficult end stages of her well lived life.

ARRANGEMENTS: Relatives and friends are invited to her funeral service which will be held at O’Donnell Cremations – Funerals- Celebrations, 84 Washington Sq., (at Salem Common) SALEM on Tuesday at 12:30 PM. Burial in Greenlawn Cemetery, Salem. Visiting hours prior to the service from 10 A.M. to 12 P.M. (noon). Expressions of sympathy may be made in Betty’s memory to Salem Garden Club, P.O. Box 8506, Salem, MA 01970 or to All Care VNA & Hospice, C/O Development Office, 210 Market St., Lynn, MA 0901. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.odonnellfuneralservice.com.

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