Little remembered as “a man of integrity”

Photo courtesy of Medha Paliwa Edward little—Local business owner and public servant was described as a man of principle.

Culver City residents and former colleagues paid tribute recently to Edward C. Little, a former Culver City legislator and businessman who passed away last weekend at the age of 87.

Little, who owned Ed Little Auto Service on Sepulveda Boulevard for several decades, was a man of principle, one Culver City native told the “News.”

“He was a man of absolute integrity, a man who enjoyed life. He was a businessman whose integrity was beyond reproach,” said Culver City Chamber of Commerce President Steven Rose.

Another long-term resident, Councilman Andrew Weissman, had a life-long connection with Little, who served on the City Council in the 1960s.

“I knew Ed most of my life. Ed and my father sort of started out in business in Culver City at about the same time in the early 1950s. He was at my bar mitzvah in 1963,” Weissman recalled. “He and my father, along with Red Betts from Betts Sine Lumber Company, were amongst the founders of the Junior Chamber of Commerce in the middle 1950s.”

After he lost his bid for reelection to the council in the late 1960s, Little restarted his career in public services as a member of the West Basin Municipal Water District.

“We are extremely thankful for Ed Little’s dedication, vision and leadership in the water community and at West Basin. He was a true friend and will be greatly missed,” said water board president Donald Dear in a statement. “His contributions to Southern California’s water reliability through West Basin and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will live on for decades and decades to come.”

Weissman said Little encouraged him to take an active role in Culver City civic life after he graduated from law school.

“He was on the Culver Palms YMCA board of managers when I first got on the board in 1978 and he recruited me to join Rotary [Club] around the same time,” Weissman said. “He took his position as a [city councilman] seriously and that carried over to the way he viewed his water board responsibilities. He gave me guidance and lots of advice after I got on the council.”

Rose said it was at the water management district where Little made his mark in the public policy arena as a member and later visionary president.

“Ed stood out as a beaconof open government and integrity,” Rose said. “He viewed water policy [through the lens] of multiples of decades as opposed to short-term political gain.”

Little retired in May from the water board.

A water recycling plant in El Segundo bears his namethe Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility. In 2002, the facility was recognized by the National Water Research Institute. It is the largest water recycling facility of its kind in the United States, according to the water district.

In his last interview with the “News” in February, Little talked about the importance of conservation during one of California’s worst statewide droughts on record, even though the water district was confident that its customers would not be as impacted as much as their fellow central and northern Californians.

“We need to guarantee that we won’t run out of water,” Little said. “The important thing is for people to conserve as much water as possible without changing your lifestyle that much.”

Weissman said Little had a humorous side, despite appearances.

“He was renowned for his incredible talent for being able to fall asleep at Rotary meetings and rarely, though not always, toppling off of his chair,’ Weissman quipped. “Ed was a great person and I will miss him.”

Little is survived by his wife Helen and her daughter Cassandra Nelson; children Linda Groves, Patti Grammatis (Yannis), Bob Little (Teena); grandchildren Lacey Loveland, Heidi Little, Kosta Grammatis, Steven Little (Jessica); Rechelle Murillo (Antonio), Kelli Cartwright (Shane), Dylan Waggoner (Eugena), Brooke Waggoner, Jade Nelson, Jasmine Ramirez (Jonathan); great-grandchildren Kaylie and Olivia Murillo, Corin Cartwright, Mason and Miles Ramirez; brother Robert Little and sister-in-law Ruth Little; numerous nephews and nieces.