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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, October 31, 2001

Kaua'i activist Margaret Littman died Oct. 23

By Jan Tenbruggencate
Advertiser KauaÎi Bureau

Margaret Weiss Littmann, a committed community volunteer, philanthropist and activist on Kaua'i, died Oct. 23.

A speech correction teacher and a school psychologist, she was born in St. Louis, Mo., and lived there and in Bremerton, Wash., and Detroit before moving to Kaua'i in 1974 with her late husband, Sidney. She was founder of the National Association of School Psychologists.

In Kaua'i, Littman immediately became involved in programs benefiting women.

"She was always interested in helping children," said her daughter, Marianne Ashby. "When she got here, the women's movement was just starting. She decided that if she helped women, their children would be helped."

Littmann volunteered with the YWCA and helped found its Kaua'i Women's Center.

In 1979, she helped found and finance the YWCA's Shelter for Victims of Family Violence when she and her husband bought a building and renovated it. Five years later, she bought another building and donated it to the YWCA for its offices.

Littman served on the board of Island School and established scholarships there, at Koloa School and Kahili Adventist School.

She was a member and former president of the League of Women Voters of Kaua'i, and was committed to the education of the public, said her longtime friend, Althea McCleery.

"She was extremely broad-minded and well-read, not only about the county and the state, but nationwide and internationally. She was interested in giving people alternatives, choices, no matter what their background," said McCleery, like Littmann a former president of the League of Women Voters on the island.

The two differed on politics. McCleery tended to be more liberal and Littmann conservative, but they didn't let that stand between them.

"She was a terrific resource, one of these thoughtful people who claimed she was a Republican but I would tell her, 'If all Republicans were like that ...' "

She is survived by son, Paul David; daughters, Marianne Ashby of Connecticut and Terry of Tennessee; and brother, Jacob Weiss of Colorado.

Celebration of life will be held 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at 4625 Anolani St., Kapa'a. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to any Kaua'i charity benefiting children.