Those are just some of the roles that my grandfather William Chester Long had in his 79 years on this planet. His life came to an abrupt stop on Thursday, May 26 at Fancy Creek Shooting Range where he voluntered as a range officer. He went to help another shooter with his pistol and answered some of his questions, had a heart attack and they believe he was dead before he even hit the ground.
My Grandpops with my aunt Susan, mom, myself and cousin Annette at Women on Target at Fancy Creek Shooting Range two weeks before he died.
How could this happen? With just barely more than a month before he turned 80? We had plans. A big family reuion with his fellow friend and his family to celebrate his 80th on the Fourth of July weekend. Plans to take us girls shooting over Thanksgiving break. Family issues still to deal with. A 104 year old mother that was moved to the nursing home 3 months ago that doesn't fully understand what she is now missing, but knows it is. An old sheepdog that he loved dearly and that loved him dearly and is near the end of his time and everytime the door opens Jack looks for Grandpa to come home.
It's pure madness. Here's the thing though. It's time to celebrate life as my Grandma is saying.
One of his big organizations was the American Legion where he called Bingo every Sunday and had a lot of major responsibilities. One of them was the Avenue of Flags where every Memorial Day he would organize the raising of the flagpoles, flags, lowering of the flags, and their folding. If we were in Manhattan on Memorial Day it was expected that we would help with this and I can remeber several years of hanging wreaths on crosses for the various wars when I was to young to help with the flags. Since this tragedy struck just before the weekend and his funeral service to be the Tuesday after memorial day we decided that he would want us to help. Daughters, Grandkids, Nieces, and Nephews all took turns helping with this. Putting up the flag poles on Sunday afternoon, 6am flag raising and then that afternoon taking down the flags and folding them. As Grandma said when we showed her the pictures "He would've been so proud of you kids"
The 6 am Flag Raising Crew- myself, Melissa, Susan, mom, Annette, Brent and Crystal. He would've been so proud at the fact that myself, Annette, and Crystal got up at 5:30 because every black Friday he made fun of us because we always planned to get up (at least 3 years in a row) and we never got up. We finally got up one year and went to Wal Mart with him which he didn't think was crazy because he always went to Wal Mart at 6 am.
Mom, Riley, and Marshall taking down the flagpoles
Brent proudly raising a Flag
Annette and myself taking a flag down that afternoon.
The group that went to the Legion to fold flags. It consisted of a brother, sister in law, niece, daughter, daugher in law, grandsons, granddaughters and even a great grandaughter.
He was my Grandpa. He lived to serve. He believed in watching Fox News every second of the day and if you changed the channel you were in major trouble. He believed in concealed carry. He believed in self defense and teaching everyone to know how to defend themselves. He believed in his country and the up most respect by ALL being shown to the American Flag. A strong discipline made him seem like a Grizzly Bear when in reality he was a teddy bear. A lover of dogs and all things nature and so much more. How can you really describe a person and there life of 79 (almost 80) years in a blog?
He was so much to everyone around him. Two of his organizations posted colors next to his casket and Ft. Riley color guard was there to give him a full military funeral. He will be missed by so many, but he was a gift to us all.
His mother cross stitched this for him, but he also hand wrote it on a note card and had it on his mirror
"I pray that I may live to fish until my dying day and when my final cast is made and in the Lords resting net I lay I pray that I be judged BIG ENOUGH TO KEEP."
He lived to serve and taught his kids and grandkids to do the same. Honesty, humbleness, integrity, responsibility don't even begin to describe him. He will truely be missed and he was an enormus blessing to us all.
He was so much to everyone around him. Two of his organizations posted colors next to his casket and Ft. Riley color guard was there to give him a full military funeral. He will be missed by so many, but he was a gift to us all.
His mother cross stitched this for him, but he also hand wrote it on a note card and had it on his mirror
"I pray that I may live to fish until my dying day and when my final cast is made and in the Lords resting net I lay I pray that I be judged BIG ENOUGH TO KEEP."
He lived to serve and taught his kids and grandkids to do the same. Honesty, humbleness, integrity, responsibility don't even begin to describe him. He will truely be missed and he was an enormus blessing to us all.
Why all the pictures are blurry I'm not so sure (there not that way on facebook).
Peace out and God Bless,
Jancey
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