Gerald "Jerry" F. Long

Gerald "Jerry" Francis Long January 5, 1938 - August 10, 2023 Brother, uncle, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather Jerry was the fifth child of the Walter J. Long family growing up in Akron and Canton, OH. He was close to his two brothers and three sisters. Jerry joined the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1956 serving with distinction for 23 years. He was stationed in the Far East - Korea, Japan, and Vietnam - as well as installations throughout the U.S. He was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal four times. While stationed at various bases, he was active in the youth programs involving his children. He loved decorating the family quarters for Christmas with elaborate lighting. He was active in the Catholic community and was a 4th degree knight with the Knights of Columbus. In 1980, he joined the civil service and went back to work for the USAF. He continued working in traffic management and eventually became deputy director of the Joint Personal Property Shipping Office (JPPSO) in Massachusetts. He retired from JPPSO in 1999 with 19 years of service. He settled in Clarinda, IA. to be close to his son's family. He enjoyed travelling in his motorhome and taking day trips to see the wonders of the Midwest. Jerry collected stamps and coins for most of his adult life and was an avid photographer. He usually had a jigsaw puzzle in progress and a book of word games next to his chair. Jerry was deeply proud of his children and grandchildren. He delighted in the arrival of great-grandchildren. Jerry is survived by his brother, Tom (Pat) of Michigan; his wife Dianna; his children Angella (John) of Alaska, Tony (Kathy) of Nebraska, Veronica (David) of Washington; his grandchildren Lauren (Jesse) Bunner, Lindsay (Reece) Klug, Emily (Mitch) Herbig and Garrett Long; his great-grandchildren Jett Bunner, Rook, Hugh, and Della Klug, Harrison, Avila and Lucia Herbig.