Gene Long

Gene A. Long, 88, went to be with the Lord Jesus Christ, on Sunday, October 3rd of 2021.  

He was born February 4th, 1933 to Edward and Faye Long.

He graduated from Bethel Public Schools.  After graduation he joined the Air Force and served our country in the Korean War from 1952 to 1956. 

He married Betty Jean Richards on June 28, 1957 and they raised their son in the Bethel Acres community. 

Gene retired from Tinker Air Force base and enjoyed a long retirement, but never slowed down.  He restored numerous vintage pickup trucks and peddle cars to show quality.  He had the ability to repair just about everything from furniture, clocks, antique fans to even the most delicate porcelain figurines that Betty Jean loved.  Gene grew up during hard times but somehow this didn’t cause him to be miserly but just the opposite, he was generous to a fault.  Family and friends rarely left empty-handed, whether it was a garage sale find he thought you might like or vegetables out of his garden, he loved to share it all.  

He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Jean, his parents and two brothers.

Those left to cherish his memory are his son and his wife, Michael and Marianne Long of Shawnee; two grandsons and their wives; Matt and Vanessa Long of Norman; Mason and Jessica Long of Arcadia; five great grandchildren: Breyton, Sean, Lyla and Evie of Arcadia and Jackson of Norman; two brothers, Paul Long of Midwest City and Harold Long of Choctaw. 

Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, October 7, 2021 and continue through service time.  Services with military honors will be held 10:00 a.m., Friday, October 8, 2021 Cooper Funeral Home Chapel with Jerry Jackson of Christ Reformed Church of Shawnee officiating. Burial will follow at Dale Cemetery under the direction of Cooper Funeral Home of Tecumseh.