Robert Burney Long, Jr. - Submitted for the USGenWeb by Richard P.
Sevier 6/16/2013
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Robert Burney Long, Jr. - Madison Parish, Louisiana
From Brunswick, GA Dignity Memorial June 16, 2013
Captain
Robert Burney Long, JR., 88, died peacefully at his home on St. Simons Island
on Thursday, June 13, 2013.
Born February 10, 1925
in Vicksburg, Mississippi to Robert B. and Lida Lee
Long he grew up across the river in Delta, Louisiana on his family's former
cotton plantation. He graduated as salutatorian of Tallulah High School class
of 1941 in Madison Parrish, Louisiana. After attending Louisiana State
University for one year, he received an appointment to the United States Coast
Guard Academy in New London, CT., from which he graduated with the class of
1946. Because of war demands his entire class was assigned on- board duties in
the spring of 1945 and the then Ensign Long served aboard the destroyer escort
Merrill. He was assigned to post graduate training at Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute from which he graduated with a bachelor of Civil Engineering in 1951.
He became a registered professional Engineer in 1955 in both Civil and
Structural Engineering and was a licensed professional Engineer in Georgia,
Michigan, Louisiana, Washington D.C. and Mississippi. Capt. Long commanded the
327' Coast Guard Cutter Campbell from 1967-1968 in Vietnam and participated in
Operation Market Time during the Tet offensive for
which he earned a Bronze Star with a Combat V. Upon his return to New York
City, the Campbell's home port, he was awarded the "Key to the City"
by then Mayor, John V. Lindsay for the Campbell's outstanding service in
Vietnam. After retiring from the Coast Guard in 1969, he took the position of
Director of Physical Plant at Central Michigan University where, in 1973, he
was awarded one of the first federal grants for a remote energy conservation
program that was used as a prototype for other universities to save millions of
dollars in energy costs. While at Central, he also earned a Master's Degree in
Business Administration and was the Chairman of the Isabella County Planning
Commission.
Captain and Mrs. Long moved back south to St. Simons Island in 1978 where he
took the position of Director of Engineering with the Sea Island Company, a
position he held until his retirement. At the time, the Cloister’s Mobile (5
star) and AAA (5-diamond) ratings were secured despite an aging facilities
infrastructure and challenging competition in the resort industry.
He remained active in the Coast Guard Auxiliary serving as Commander for a
number of years. He also served as one of the St. Simons Island Lighthouse
Keepers until 2012 maintaining and cleaning the "Fresnel" lens of the
St. Simons Island Lighthouse. He also taught Coast Guard Auxiliary boating
safety classes to many Golden Isles residents and was a boat examiner providing
complimentary inspections of private and commercial fishing craft for safety
and pollution control devices. Unknown to many, he was amateur mycologist,
expert in identifying and cataloging mushrooms and fungi. Additionally, he was
a certified scuba diver and avid golfer.
He was preceded in death by his wife of fifty years, Patricia McKee Long in
1997, and a sister, Anna V. Case of Falls Church, VA. He is survived by four
children and their spouses: Robert B. III and his wife, Susan, of Anderson, SC;
Victoria Viall and her husband, Charles, of West
Haven CT; Suzanne Meloeny and her husband
, John, of Royal Oak, MI; and local Landscape Architect, Candace Long
Brewer and her husband, Donald, of Nassau County, FL; four grandchildren ,
Christine Orecchio, Kayla Viall,
Sarah Long and Kent Long, as well as three great grandchildren.
The family will receive friends at a Celebration of Life Reception in Captain
Long's honor from 5-7pm on Thursday, June 20, 2013 at Edo Miller and Sons
Funeral Home in Brunswick, GA.
Major Mike Orecchio, US Army MEDCOM will perform TAPS
and "Father Strong to Save" . Any
Contributions in Capt. Long's honor are suggested for the Coastal Georgia
Historical Society, Maritime Center, c/o Sherri Jones, Executive Director, P.O.
Box 21136, St. Simons Island Georgia, 31522. www.edomillerandsons.com