Vester Long

Vester Earl "Dick" Long, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, May 31, 2003, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 19, 1913, in Vinson, Okla., to Lawrence L. and Fannie P. Smith Long. He was a supervisor for Natural Gas Pipeline Co. of America until his retirement in 1976.

Long married Cleo Mae Leaming March 14, 1936, in Guymon, Okla. He was a member of New McKendree United Methodist Church. He worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1933 to 1935. He was a 32nd-degree Mason and belonged to the Wichita, Kan., lodge.

Survivors include his wife, Cleo Mae Long of Cape Girardeau; a son and daughter-in-law, Darrell and Debbie Long of Cape Girardeau; a daughter, Donna Giles of Kankakee, Ill.; a brother, Alvin Long of Decatur, Ill.; and two sisters, Anita Rich of Amarillo, Texas, and Cissy Smith of Forgan, Okla.; nine grandchildren, Bobby Giles of Benton, Mo., Bruce Giles of Chicago, Ill., Brian Giles of Canton, Mich., Mike Giles of Buckley, Ill., Rusty Tobey of Herscher, Ill., Buddy Pombert of Burfordsville, Mo., Nicole Salmela of Chicago, Ill., and Carrie Tracy and Sarah Long, both of Cape Girardeau; and 11 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by one daughter, three sons-in-law, one grandson and one sister.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday, June 3, 2003, at Ford & Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. Funeral service will follow at 1 p.m. in the chapel, with the Rev. John Rice officiating. Entombment will be in the Cape County Memorial Park Mausoleum. Memorials may be made to the New McKendree United Methodist Church.