Richard Kay Long's Obituary
It is with heavy hearts and somber spirits that we announce Richard Kay Long of Orem, Utah, died early Monday morning, April 25, 2022, from age-related medical conditions he had been battling for several months. Though he is no longer physically with us, his legacy as a husband, father, provider, and faithful son and servant of a loving Heavenly Father lives on. It is with this short tribute that we remember some of what he did to build the legacy he leaves us.
Dad was born June 8, 1936 in Pleasant Grove, Utah as a world was about to go to war. He and his sister Deanne were adopted by George and Emily Long and that’s where this uniquely Long story begins.
Dad was an “energetic” lad always exploring and adventuring and making Grandma Emily age faster than she cared to. He was an exceptional athlete lettering in football, baseball, basketball, track, and boxing at Lincoln High School which eventually became Orem High School. Dad excelled at sports and won quite a few trophies including a number of boxing trophies. Whenever we could, we’d get dad to tell us the stories about his athletic accomplishments (especially the boxing knock-outs).
At the time of Kay’s high school graduation in 1954, the United States was engaged in another conflict in Korea and it wouldn’t be long after his graduation that he was drafted. He served honorably for 2 years, first at Fort Ord in Monterey, California and then while he was stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska where he served the bulk of his military service.
Dad returned home from his military obligation and in 1957 prepared to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was called to serve in the West Central States Mission by then President of the church and Prophet David O. McKay on February 20, 1957. He served among the Native American tribes in the Dakotas and Wyoming. We loved to hear about his experiences in the mission field almost as much as his boxing knockouts…almost. Dad served the Lord faithfully for 2 years.
Kay wasted no time after his mission enrolling at BYU where he would run into his soulmate for the second time… His missionary service took him into the state of Wyoming where a young convert also named Kay lived with her family. The high plains of Wyoming is where their paths crossed the first time and apparently that first meeting left an impression. It wasn’t long after the second meeting that Kay Long and Kay McDaniel would become Mr. and Mrs. R. Kay Long. Mom and Dad were married on dad’s birthday, June 8, 1959. They have remained so for 63 years.
Both were enrolled at BYU but soon the responsibility of starting a family required more of their time. First Doug, then Steve, then Terri, Mark, Sherri, and Rob. An even half dozen. Mom and dad were a very organized couple. They began growing their family on March 16, 1960 with Doug and put the finishing touches on it March 16, 1970 with the birth of Robbie. What a way to begin and end the psychedelic 60s…
My dad loved the Prophet Joseph Smith. He had so much love and respect for the Prophet of the Restoration. He read everything the Prophet wrote and everything that was written about him. He truly developed a kinship with the Prophet unlike anything one might imagine between two men from two different centuries. But it would not surprise us at all if Brother Joseph was there to welcome Dad into paradise as he stepped through the veil, along with many others who have gone before and have patiently waited to see and embrace their son, grandson, and friend again.
We remember him as our little league football coach, our cheerleader, our hunting, fishing, and outdoors guide, our gardener, our camping specialist, weekend breakfast maker, practical joker who loved to hide around dark corners or at the bottom of the stairs waiting patiently for his next scare victim to walk down only to run back up screaming in terror.
He loved to get us to smell his glass of milk, which was really buttermilk, just to watch our noses crinkle in disgust while he enjoyed a good belly laugh. He was a piano man and guitarist and crazy fun song lyricist, conjuring songs with words you can never forget even if you want to. He had a saying for everything. “I see,'' said the blind man, as he picked up his hammer and saw…” Ya know, sayings.
He cussed a little and he really liked J. Golden Kimball. He was a master storyteller with an imagination that could always capture our attention with every “once upon a time” and leave us asking for more. He was our bike mechanic, reel to reel tape technician, and kayak builder. He loved a good steak and believed "medium-well" was not overcooked. He taught us how to work. How to provide. He introduced us to Dr. Pepper.
Kay is survived by his wife of 63 years M. Kay Long and his six children, Doug Long and his wife Sheri, Steve Long, Terri Shields and her husband Tom, Mark Long, Sherri Anderson and her husband Kevin, and Robert Long and his wife Courtney. Kay is a grandfather to 22 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren with the 17th on the way, due October of this year. His posterity is a family that loves one another. Good people living good lives who are kind, gracious, and caring. The apples don’t fall far from the tree and that’s a good thing.
It isn’t easy summarizing the life of our father Richard Kay Long in the brevity of this text.
He is our counselor, our teacher, our protector, and our hero and we miss him. But we know where he is and the joy he must be feeling with so many happy reunions, having shed the pain and struggles of mortality.
We know we will see his smiling face and feel his warm embrace again and it is with that knowledge that we say good-bye for now, but not for long.
A viewing will be held Monday, May 2, from 6-8 pm at the LDS Chapel on 400 N 400 E in Orem, Utah.
A short viewing will be held on Tuesday, May 3 prior to the funeral service from 9:30-10:30 am.
Funeral services will begin at 11:00 am on May 3, 2022 at the same location.
Burial will take place following the funeral service at Camp Williams Veterans Cemetery, 17111 South Camp Williams Road Bluffdale, Utah.
In lieu of flowers or gifts please donate to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Humanitarian Aid fund at: donate.churchofjesuschrist.com
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