Roll Call Tribute

Published in The Delaware (OH) Gazette from Apr. 6 to Apr. 7, 2015

JOHN A. LONG

MARYSVILLE — John A. Long, 87, of Marysville, died Wednesday, April 1, 2015, at Riverside Methodist Hospital.
He retired in 1990 completing a 29-year career at O.M. Scott & Sons Company (today Scotts/Miracle-Gro), where he served in various levels of research and management, holding the title "Director of Bio-chemical Research" upon retirement. He is listed as co-inventor on several U.S. patents held by the Scott Company. Perhaps his proudest moment with Scotts came upon receiving the 1990 Excellence in Research Annual Award and, to honor him, the award was renamed the John Long Excellence in Research Annual Award. Prior to his career with Scotts he worked in agricultural research at New Mexico State and Texas A & M Universities. Nationally he was active in agricultural trade organizations serving as president of the National Council of Commercial Plant Breeders, Chair of the Turf & Garden Committee of the Fertilizer Institute, and member of the Agricultural Research Institute of the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council. In addition, he authored several scientific papers and contributed to a number of scientific books.
With a strong passion for community service, he was a member of the Marysville Jaycees, helped in the construction of Saam Field, a ball park that met the needs of Marysville's Junior Baseball Association for many years, was President of the Marysville PTO, was a member of Friends of the Library, ran for Union County Commissioner, and was highly active with the Union County Democratic Organization. For over 50 years he was a member of Marysville's First Congregational United Church of Christ where he served in many capacities. He graduated from Harrison High School in Harrison, Idaho, earned a B.S. degree from the University of Idaho, an M.S. degree from Washington State University, and a Ph.D. from Texas A & M University.
He was a veteran of the United States Army, serving in the Pacific in the late 1940s.
He was born Sept. 1, 1927, in Gilt Edge, Montana to the late Phillip D. and Nellie Grace Richards Long. Four brothers, Laddie Long, Donald Long, Fred Long and Norwood Long, preceded him in death.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Verna Jean Kirk Long, whom he married July 5, 1949, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; his children, Timothy (Donna) Long of Asheville, N.C., Mark (Debie) Long of Delaware, Deborah Long of Columbus and Christine (Edward) Ungar of Ostrander; six grandchildren, Travis Long, Jessica (Terry) Gbur, Amanda Sykes, Dustin (Lyndsey) Brown, Shea (Maegan) Sykes, Abigail Long; great-grandsons, Caden Abshear and Landen Crosley; his siblings, Harold K. (Lillian) of Victor, Mont., Philis Adams of Kalispell, Mont., June Sykes of Lolo, Mont., Roger (Marilyn) Long of Spokane, Wash., Patricia Houston of Honolulu, Hawaii and Susan Henderson of Missoula, Mont.; two sisters-in-law, Bonnie Long of California and Jane Long of Alaska; a brother-in-law, Glenn Kirk of Seattle, Wash.; and many nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.
The family will receive friends from noon through 4 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at Underwood Funeral Home, 703 E. Fifth St., Marysville. A memorial will follow at 5:30 p.m. at the First Congregational United Church of Christ. Rev. Linda Meredith will officiate. Interment will be held at a later date in Montana.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Congregational Church.
Condolences may be expressed to the family at http://www.underwoodfuneralhome.com/



Funeral Home
Underwood Funeral Home
703 East Fifth Street Marysville, OH 43040
(937)-642-7039