Gordon N. ''Butch'' Long, Jr.
September 23, 1942 ~ August 19, 2001
Gordon N. “Butch” Long, Jr., 58, of Freehold, NJ, passed away on Sunday, August 19, 2001. He was born on September 23, 1942, a son of the late Gordon N. Long, Sr.
He was a teacher and supervisor of education at the Child’s Psychiatric Center in Morganville, NJ. He also taught high school and coached wrestling for 16 years at Ocean Township.
He was a graduate of West Liberty State College in West Liberty, WV, with a Bachelors degree in Physical Education. He received his Masters degree in Special Education in 1971 from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.
Butch was a member of the 1969 Division 3 College World Series Championship Baseball Team at West Liberty State College that won the NAIA National Title in 1964.
He is survived by his mother, Ruth Kecker Long, of Weirton; two daughters, Meredith Lee Long and Jacqueline Suzanne Long, of New Jersey; and his loving partner, Susan Turtur, of Freehold, New Jersey. He also leaves behind two brothers, Dennis Long and his wife Peggy, of Pittsburgh, PA, and James Daniel Long, of Morgantown, WV; two sisters, Linda Long Downs, of Pittsburgh, PA, and Leslie Long Patrelakis and her husband George, of Weirton. Also surviving are five nephews, Steve Patrelakis, of Weirton, Dennis, Robert, and Scott Long, all of California, and Michael Mandich, of Wintersville, OH; and one niece, Lindsay Patrelakis, of Weirton.
Visitation will be 2-4 and 7-9 PM Friday at the Greco-Hertnick Funeral Home, 3219 Main Street, Weirton, WV. Funeral Liturgy with Mass will be celebrated 11 AM Saturday at St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, Weirton. Burial will follow at St. Paul Cemetery.
Obit/send condolences to the family at www.grecohertnick.com.
Funeral Home:
Greco Hertnick Funeral Home
3219 Main Street
Weirton, WV
US 26062
To “Butch’s” Family …. We were the “Class of ‘060”. Butch and I shared a lot of memories last July, 2000, at our 40th Reunion. We had a great Friday evening at our informal mixer at the Knights of Columbus Hall, our Saturday Dinner/Dance at Williams Country Club, and Butch sat next to me at breakfast on Sunday at the Serbian-American Cultural Center. He said he had not participated in our reunions in the past but he would NEVER miss another one! He had a wonderful time. We found out that we both had children in New Jersey and we exchanged telephone numbers for Merideth and my son, George. It was such an unexpected, depressing thing to learn of Butch’s death. We always had a lot of fun in high school and I always remembered him every time I went up Marland Heights Hill because I remembered where he lived when we were in school. You have my heartfelt sympathy. I visited the funeral home early on Friday morning; however, I was flying to New Jersey for the weekend to visit my son and I had to leave Weirton at 9:30 A.M. I asked the funeral director to please sign my name on the memory book. I hope he did. With Sympathy, Janet Canei Stagani
Ruth, You have our deepest sympathies. I was so sorry to hear of your son’s death and then we were struck with the same thing. No pain can be like the pain of losing a child. I will pray for you. You have had enough tragedy in your life. God Bless you and keep you. Helen and Tony.