Long, Darwin 'Del' E.

Darwin “Del” E. Long, 77, of Cedar Rapids, died at home on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011. Memorial Service: 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 28, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids. Family will greet friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial: Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Freda; daughter, Debra Derby (Stephen) French of Cedar Rapids; daughter-in-law, Diane Long of Cedar Rapids; grandchildren, Daneen Gimson, Kendra Derby, William Derby, Scott Long Jr., Michelle Mentz and Lora Laubach; and nine great-grandchildren and one on the way.

Also surviving is his son-in-law, Dean Hansen of Clarion; and sister, Edith Beck of Columbus, Ohio.

Del was preceded in death by his parents; son, Scott Long Sr., daughter, Tonya Hansen; and sister, Norma Hollander.

Born Jan. 1, 1934, in Red Oak, Iowa, Del was the son of George and Hope (Curtis) Long. He graduated from Corning High School and went on to attend the University of Iowa and Drake where he played football and was known as “Moose.” On Sept. 20, 1953, in Corning, Iowa, Del was united in marriage to Freda Kingery. Del worked for Liberty Finance in the Des Moines area and Colorado Springs, Colo. In 1979, he partnered with his son, Scott at Longs Repair in Cedar Rapids.

Del was a member of Concordia Lutheran Church and a past member of the Moose Lodge. He was always the first to help and enjoyed woodcraft, gardening and his pets.

Please sign the online guest book for Del at under obituaries.

Published in The Gazette Oct. 25, 2011.