Ruth Long's Obituary
Ruth Mrs. D.C. Long
Memorial services for Ruth Long, 83, will be held Thursday, September 11 at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Henderson. The service will be preceded by a graveside service at Lakewood Memorial Cemetery in Henderson at 11 a.m. The family will receive friends at a reception in the parlor of the church following the memorial service. Ruth passed away peacefully early on Wednesday, September 10 from complications related to congestive heart failure.
Myrtle Ruth Morehead Long was born to Luther Franklin and Ethel Bryson Morehead December 10, 1924 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. She moved with her family from Washington, OK to Longview, Texas with the oil boom of the 1930's. After graduating from Longview High School in 1942, she attended the Bish Mathis Institute, learning secretarial skills which she put to use in working with the Big Inch Pipeline which was constructed from Longview to the East Coast during World War II. After the war, she worked with the Humble Oil Company in Longview where she met her husband, D.C. Long. The two married in 1951 and enjoyed 52 years together. To this union a son, Chris, and a daughter, Cyndi were born.
The family moved to Henderson in 1960 where D.C. was the Exxon distributor until his death in October 2003. Over the years, Ruth was a member of the Renaissance Club, the Little Garden Club, the Lioness Club and was very active with her children's school activities serving as a volunteer in many capacities. She loved her church, and attended first St. Paul's Methodist, then First United Methodist where she was a children's Sunday School teacher and choir director for many years. She was a member of U.M.W. and enjoyed the various studies put on by the church, especially the Disciple Bible Studies.
Ruth loved to travel, loved to entertain and was a wonderful hostess. She and D.C. were members of the Smiling Sams R.V. club for many years and traveled throughout the country. She also took trips to the Holy Land on several occasions and was privileged to travel to Europe and across the U.S. She loved nature and animals, and she appreciated the beauty of the natural world. Her smile and giving nature will be remembered by all who knew and loved her. She was truly one of a kind. She was the world's most outstanding mother and grandmother and tales of her goodness will long outlive her.
She is now reunited with her beloved D.C. and her parents and heaven is a brighter place because of her. Left to cherish her memory are her son, Chris Long and wife Celeste; daughter Cyndi Walker and husband Johnny, all of Henderson; grandchildren Jonathan Walker and wife Erin of College Station, Jared Walker of Tyler, Lauren Baker and husband Brad of Tyler; and Phillip Stanley and wife Katie of Henderson; great-grandchildren John Caleb and Caroline Nicole Walker of College Station. Her wonderful caregivers were like family to her and cared for her with the love and mercy of angels. Lois Windom was with her for five years and became a second daughter. Lois was joined in the past year by Peaches Jackson, Ilene Hurd, Ivanell Hart, Betty Miller, Veleta Shepperd, Nell Wright, Arlene White, Mary Muse and Jewel Cozart. The family expresses their undying gratitude to these precious ladies for their love and care for Ruth.
"Lord of all to thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise."
What’s your fondest memory of Ruth?
What’s a lesson you learned from Ruth?
Share a story where Ruth's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Ruth you’ll never forget.
How did Ruth make you smile?