Samuel Maurice Litton

Samuel M. Litton, 80, passed away after a brief illness in Mt. Pleasant, SC, on June 6, 2020.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel H. and Mary Wray Litton. He is survived by his wife, Joan H. Litton (Moneta, VA) and sons, Sean Litton (Mt. Pleasant, SC) and Jason Litton (Charleston, SC).
Sam grew up in Salem, VA, where he developed a love of the outdoors, played high school football and graduated from Andrew Lewis High School. He earned his B.S. degree from Elon College, and soon after served as a corpsman in the U.S. Navy. As a medic, he was attached to the U.S. Marines in Vietnam.
Following his military service, Sam earned his M.S. in biology from Appalachian State University, where he met Joan. They were married in Medellin, Columbia, in 1972. It was in South America that Sam and Joan discovered their mutual passions for travel and outdoor activities. Later, Sam completed post-graduate work and research at the University of Virginia.
After returning to the United States, Sam was a professor in the Biology Department at Ferrum College. There, he taught hundreds of young people to appreciate animals, birds and ocean life. An encouraging and patient teacher, Sam welcomed them into his home. He forged lasting relationships with many of these students.
Sam's students loved traveling with him on field trips, whether it was to the surrounding Virginia mountains, the Carolina coast, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. They learned the value of the natural world through these transformative experiences. His sons often accompanied him as well.
Sam taught his sons the same respect for the outdoors. They traveled all over the United States and Canada camping, hiking, canoeing, fishing and hunting. Sam and Joan enjoyed snow skiing with their sons in Virginia, Colorado, Idaho and, most recently, France.
Following his teaching career, Sam and Joan lived on Smith Mountain Lake, VA, where he remained an avid outdoorsman and worked in real estate. He was active in the local community, serving as president of both the Ferrum Lions Club and the Rocky Mount Rotary Club. He was honored by the Rotary Club as a Paul Harris Fellow.
Sam was always a teacher, as well a curious student. His reverence for the natural world was evident in the small moments … teaching a child to fish, pointing out an obscure bird to his sons, or finding a rare seashell. His family is comforted by the fact that Sam has gone to "where the birds fly straight and the fish are always biting."
Due to current restrictions, the family will have a private memorial service. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Saint Peter's Episcopal Church, 65 Rock Ridge Road, Callaway, VA 24067, Ferrum College, 215 Ferrum Mountain Road, Ferrum, VA 24088 or Southern Virginia Child Advocacy Center, 300 South Main Street, Rocky Mount, VA 24151.