Gene A. Long, 88, died Oct. 3, 2021.
He was born Feb. 4, 1933 to Edward and Faye Long.
He graduated from Bethel Public Schools. After graduation he joined the Air Force and served in the Korean War from 1952 to 1956.
He married Betty Jean Richards, 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 re stored 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.
He is survived by 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; and two brothers, Paul Long, of Midwest City, and Harold Long, of Choctaw.
Services with military honors were held Oct. 8, 2021, Cooper Funeral Home Chapel with Jerry Jackson of Christ Reformed Church of Shawnee officiating. Burial followed at Dale Cemetery under the direction of Cooper Funeral Home of Tecumseh.
