James Edward Long's Obituary
LONG, James Edward, age 63, of Xenia, passed away Wednesday, March 1, 2023.
James graduated from Xenia High School and the Greene County Career Center, with a focus in carpentry, class of ’78. He retired in 2019 from the Greene County Sanitation Engineering Department after 30 years of service.
Caring, giving, funny, and hardworking, James was described as a good ol’ boy who was very generous, dependable, and put everyone else’s needs before his own. In addition, he was a great father, grandfather, and husband. He loved tinkering in his garage, where he liked to keep things neat and organized. Fishing was a passion, almost always via a fishing boat that he was proud of. He mainly fished for bass and crappy at Caesar Creek Lake, Cowan Lake, and Paint Creek Lake. He often made his lures and participated in several fishing tournaments over the years. He also enjoyed woodworking and was a master craftsman. He built shelves, refinished desks, and assisted with a crib in more recent days. He especially enjoyed woodworking projects that benefited his family. He enjoyed watching sports and was a big fan of OSU Buckeyes football and the Minnesota Vikings.
As a family man, his favorite pastime was spending time with his family. He never missed an activity, especially soccer, which his granddaughters were involved in. It was a tradition on Sundays for James and the family to get together for a family meal. He was known as the king of the grill. He also had a habit of picking on his granddaughters for fun, which he always made sure to do. His favorite things included his Dodge trucks, his fishing boat and fishing gear, and his beloved dog, Kelbree, a Yorkie who he named after his two granddaughters, Kelcie and Aubree. Over the years, he also acquired several grand dogs; Gypsy, Charlie, Cooper, and Tucker. James requested to be an organ donor at the time of his passing. Following his request, he was able to already save two lives via his kidneys and liver.
He was preceded in death by his dad, Kenneth Long. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Linda; son, Jason (Melissa) Long; daughter, Shannon (Eric) Deitsch; two granddaughters, Kelcie and Aubree; his mom, Kathleen Long; his brother, Kenny Long; sister-in-law, Brenda (John) Amole; nephew, Josh Amole; niece, Britney Amole; his beloved dog, Kelbree; his grand dogs; and many close friends.
The family will receive friends 11 AM - 1 PM Saturday, March 11, at Stubbs-Conner Funeral Home in Waynesville. The funeral service will immediately follow the visitation at 1 PM on Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Miami Cemetery, Corwin. Craig Wright will be officiating the services. If desired, contributions may be made to the American Heart Association and the Warren County Humane Society. Condolences at www.stubbsconner.com.
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