Friends and neighbors, along with members and staff at Sunland Golf & Country Club, gathered at the club June 17 to honor and remember Cynthia Little’s legacy.

A ceremony was held for Little at the club’s pool, where a plaque was dedicated to Little as well as a bench that will be placed near her Sunland home on Hurricane Drive. A statue of her dog, Jack, also was made with a name tag that read “brave to the end.”

Little and her dog Jack were murdered on May 4, 2017, in her Sunland home.

Sunland Owners Association president Fred Smith talked about Little’s time at Sunland, recalling her devotion to managing, supervising and making sure the Sunland pool and its visitors were taken care of when she was a lifeguard.

Smith said he met Little when she was in charge of the pool, and that she ingrained in him the seriousness of the job and pool responsibilities. He also noted Little was always striving to help children as well as others.

“We lost a great and valuable asset,” Smith said.

Several Sunland residents and friends shared how Little was always looking out for and helping others, both within and outside the Sunland community. Little followed several pursuits in her life, from a Dominican nun to law student to math teacher of 30 years.

Little retired to Sequim in 2003.

“She was so well loved by our community,” Sunland resident Maggie Philbin, a close friend of Little’s, said.

Philbin said she met Little when she was walking dogs one day in Sunland and that her sister Bernie also became fast friends with Little. She said Little’s philosophy was to “do for others,” always.

“She was a very giving and loving person,” Philbin said.

Some friends and Sunland community members sported Little’s favorite color purple in their attire. Planters with purple flowers were placed throughout the venue as well as purple beach balls dispersed in and out of the pool.

Emma Jones, another close friend of Little’s and fellow volunteer with Clallam County Court Appointed Special Advocates — a national program that supports and promotes court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected foster care children — also attested to Little’s selflessness toward others.

“She was always doing something to help someone else,” Jones said. “It’s a huge loss to our community.”

A portion of the Clallam County Courthouse also has been dedicated to Little’s name, under “Little’s Library.”

Little was active at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Sequim, a substitute teacher at Queen of Angels, a member of the Newcomer’s Club and supported the lives of friends and neighbors.

The Sunland Owners Association dedicated the Sunland Golf & Country Club pool as well as a bench and statue of her dog Jack in remembrance of Little’s legacy in Sunland. The bench will be placed near her Sunland home. Sequim Gazette photos by Erin Hawkins

Sunland Owner Association president Fred Smith gave a speech about the dedication of the Sunland Golf & Country Club pool to Cynthia Little.