Michael B Litton, Jr

Eulogy for Michael Brown Litton (Mike)

By Kathryn Litton, Mother

Michael Litton, (Mike) left this world to go to be with the Lord about 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 2, 2023, after suffering a heart attack. He was in a coma and on a ventilator for breathing with his loving Mother by his side at Northside Cherokee Hospital in Canton, Ga. He had many years of schizophrenia, diabetes, and other complications from the diabetes, so suffered a long time in and out of hospitals during the past decades.

Michael Brown Litton, Junior, his official birth name, (known to his friends in Mississippi as “Little Mike”) was born July 26, 1960 in Rosedale, Bolivar County, Mississippi to parents Kathryn Hudson Litton and Michael Brown Litton, Sr. (Big Mike) as friends called him. Preceding his death was his half sister, Carol Litton Watson of Water Valley, Miss. He is survived by his Mother, Kathryn Litton, his sister Kathy Sullivan Norman (Robert Norman) of Aiken, South Carolina, two nephews Roland (Gray) Sullivan and wife Amber Davis Sullivan, and Jamie Sullivan and wife Michelle, plus 2 great nieces, and 1 great nephew. Also surviving are two nieces from Water Valley, Mississippi, Katie Watson and Lisa Thomas. Plus his loving cat, Blackie Litton.

Born into an agricultural family, he grew up working in the fields, planting crops, and helping harvest. At age 12 he planted the soybean crop himself on the farm. He never liked indoor work, but wanted the outside. Hunting, fishing, and camping were his delights with the family as well as church attendance. He and his father were forever inseparable on hunting and fishing trips and he was only 6 years old when he killed his first deer on a hunting trip.

He loved football and was a champion player, earning awards and trophies while in high school. Once when he was tackled by 4 guys on the other team and they caused a giant hematoma on his arm the coach just waited a week and bandaged him up with some kind of leather apparatus and put him back in the next game, as he was needed to block the opposing team.

The family left Mississippi in 1979, and moved to the North Georgia Mountains at Blairsville and he transferred from Delta State College in Cleveland, Mississippi to Young Harris College at Young Harris, Georgia. He was not a great scholar as he had to study religion and Old Testament History, but excelled in playing billiards and became the Eight Ball Pool Champ for 1980.

After his stint in college he moved on to working in the family business which was Choestoe Village Campground and building cabins along the Nottely River. He was skilled at dipping ice cream as the first to be served in Blairsville at that time, and piled up high with his wonderful banana splits, then on to making super pizzas, as well as cleaning the bath house and keeping the campground clean.

The family build cabins so he quickly found his niche in swinging a hammer and cutting boards to the right length for building. More was needed as the cabins had to have electricity and plumbing and he quickly went to school and became a certified master plumber according to 1980 standards and certified electrician according to standards of the day.

He was a super mechanic and could listen to an old fashioned engine and tell what was wrong with it, so argued with many a mechanic about what to do. He was usually right on the mark, also. He could operate heavy equipment such as backhoes, dozers and the like and did much of it in development of the lots for sale, and installing the septic tanks. Also, he helped his mother in their business, Litton Landscaping.

He loved the Lord, and is a member of Coosa Methodist Church, Blairsville. Also served as an usher at First Methodist Church, Blairsville, until the family moved their membership to Coosa.

Every one that knew him knew he had developed mental illness in his late 20’s, but this did not stop his work and helping in the community to help make our town and community a better place by his volunteer work. He was instrumental in getting the first Christmas decorating done for the Old Courthouse museum before it became a museum, as well as helping install various landscapes for the town and museum.

He leaves behind a legacy of great spirit, caring for the Lord, helping people that needed help. Memorial service will be held at Cochran Funeral Home, Saturday, December 16, from 1 til 2 p.m. for visitation with the family. Interment will be at 3 p.m. in Choestoe Church Cemetery with graveside service.

In lieu of flowers, the family  ask to make donations to a charity of your choosing.