Evelyn M. Long

Evelyn M. Long, formerly of 502 W. Church Street, Upper Sandusky and for the past eleven years a resident of Fairhaven Community, died at 8:32 AM on Thursday, March 11, 2010 at Fairhaven. She was 90 years old.

Born April 24, 1919 in Marion County, Ohio, she was a daughter of the late John W. and Effie E. (Zeigler) Lyon. She married Eugene A. "Jake" Long on October 30, 1938 in Upper Sandusky and he died on December 22, 1995.

Mrs. Long is survived by a daughter, Juanita J. "Dede" Beaston, Roan Mountain, TN; two sons, Edwin E. (Bonni) Long and Rodney D. (Terri) Long, both of Upper Sandusky; six grandchildren: Beth Wood, Piney Flats, TN; Marcie Casey, Franklin, MA; Joy Beaston, Apex, NC; Eric (Jennifer) Long, Westerville, OH; Nicholas (Chelsea) Long, Bexley, OH and Sgt. Adam Long, Columbus, OH and presently serving in Iraq; six great-grandchildren: Ethan Wood, Piney Flats, TN; Ryan, Alex and Evan Casey, Franklin, MA, and Joshua and Katie Long, Westerville, OH. Also surviving is a sister, Maxine Walton, Upper Sandusky. Mrs. Long was preceded in death by a sister, Juanita Lyon, a brother, Russell Lyon and a granddaughter, Meredith Long.

Mrs. Long was the author of a series of "Grandma Tellmie About" nature books, wrote a weekly question and answer newspaper column and had a children's radio program, "The Enchanting World of Nature with Grandma Tellmie." She was honored as Citizen of the Year in 1988. She was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Upper Sandusky, where she was a Sunday School teacher, Luther League Advisor and President of Women of the Church.

Mrs. Long was also a former member of Usando Literary Club, M.O.M. Mother's Club where she was past president, and a member of the Wyandot County Hospital Guild. She was a 4-H advisor, Girl Scout Leader, Girl Scout Camp Director and started MaChriKaBe, a day camp program held at Ellis Lake. She was the Executive Director of the American Cancer Society of Wyandot County and Advisor for WATT (Wyandot Activated Teenage Tandem), a youth group serving the American Cancer Society in Wyandot Co. She was also the founder of the Chore Kids Program.

Over the years, she worked as a welfare caseworker in Wyandot Co., food stamp supervisor, and a Community Action aid with the Vista program.

Mrs. Long and her husband enjoyed developing and maintaining their former property on Route 30 called Thicket Acres where she often gave tours and nature programs to school children.

Mrs. Long will always be remembered for her love of our natural world and her message to all that, through viewing our natural world, one is assured of the existence of God. Her personal wish was to be remembered as a wife, mother of three children, grandmother to seven grandchildren, and great grandmother to six great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Radio Fund at St. Paul Lutheran Church or to the Gottfried Education Center in care of the Lucas-Batton Funeral Home, 476 S. Sandusky Ave. Upper Sandusky, Ohio 43351.