By Staff
C. Richard Long, 82, of 122 Phillips Drive, Wapakoneta, Ohio, died 2:30 a.m. Sunday, March 28, 2010, at his residence following an extended illness.
He was born September 30, 1927, in Troy, Ohio, the son of Hubert and Neva (Holloway) Long. He married Marilyn J. Ward on June 18, 1950 and she survives at the residence.
He is also survived by his four children: John (Marlene Krieg) Long of Saint Marys; Cindy (Joe) Walkup of Wapakoneta; Sue (Bill) Cheslock of Saint Marys; Melissa (Branch) Goodson of Greenville, North Carolina; by his eight grandchildren: James Folk III; Erin Spencer; Christopher Folk; B.J. Zink; Daniel Zink; Nathan Long; Victor Long; David Long; by eight great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; by two sisters: Patty Lou Long and JoAnn Netzley.
Dick was a 1945 graduate of New High School in Pleasant Hill, Ohio. He served in the United States Merchant Marine during WWII.
Dick had a very successful career as a funeral director in Saint Marys and Wapakoneta. He started working at the Roy Miller Funeral Home in West Milton, Ohio, when he was 13 years old. He graduated from the Cincinnati College of Embalming in 1949 and came to Saint Marys in 1954, where he joined the Yoder Funeral Home. In 1970, the Yoder and Long Funeral Home merged with Folk Funeral Home to form Yoder, Long and Folk Funeral Homes in Saint Marys and Wapakoneta. He will be remembered for his dedication to helping others and his careful attention to detail. He enjoyed playing golf and spending time with his family.
Dick was an active member of the community, having belonged to Rotary, Kiwanis, Jaycees and the Sertoma Clubs; he was a former Master Mason and 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Shriner; he was a past president of the Saint Marys Chamber of Commerce. He was instrumental in the closing of South Wayne Street in Saint Marys, which allowed for the construction of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company; he also played a role in the development of the Greenville Road bypass and the Neil Armstrong Airport.
He was a past president of Saint Marys Little League and a member of the VFW and American Legion Posts in Greenville, North Carolina. He was a member of the United Church of Christ.
Funeral rites will be held 3:30 p.m. Friday, April 2, 2010, at the Miller-Long and Folk Funeral Home, 314 West High Street, Saint Marys, Ohio, the Reverend Ed Bray and Father Bill O’Donnell, officiants. Burial, with military honors conducted by VFW Post 9289 and American Legion Post 323, will follow at Elm Grove Cemetery.
Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home, where memorial donations may be directed to SART. Friends may also call one hour prior to services. Condolences may be sent to the family via Millerfuneralhomes.net
Paid Obituary