VERNER JAMES (JIMMY) LONG JR.

Funeral for Verner James (Jimmy) Long Jr., 66, of Rusk was at 10 a.m., Monday in the Rusk First Baptist Church with the Rev. Lee Welch and the Rev. Jim Goforth officiating. Burial was in Cedar Hill Cemetery under the direction of Wallace- Thompson Funeral Home.

Mr. Long died June 29. He was born Feb. 12, 1941, in Jacksonville and was a lifelong Rusk resident. He retired in 1993 as a sign man from the Texas Department of Transportation after 30 plus years of service. He was also manager of Cherokee Airport for six years. He served in the U.S. Navy from Sept. 21, 1960, until June 26, 1964. He was a member of First Baptist Church for 34 years. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Rusk.

Preceding him in death were his father, Verner James Long Sr.; mother, Sydna LaVelle Dodd Long; and stepmother, Charlene Chapmon Long.

Survivors are two sons and daughters-in-law, James Eric and Dana Diane Long and Ryan Neal and Tammy Long, all of Rusk; mother of his children, Glenda Merriwether Long of Rusk; one brother and sisterin law, Robert Byron (Bobby) and Patti Long of Tyler; three sisters and two brothers-in-law, Lila Jean and David Murray and Judy Faye and Kelley Garner, all of Rusk and Rosemary Gould of Jacksonville; four granddaughters, Sydna Brooke Long, Faith Caroline Long, Kristine Morgan Long and Ashlyn Jade Long, all of Rusk.

Pallbearers were William E. Tosh, Harold (Buz) Parrish, Billy W. Sessions, James Campbell, George Covington and Don Wood. Honorary pallbearers were Ray Davis, Charles Henry Jones, Hugh McKean, Sam Florian and Bo Kisinger.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church building fund, P.O. Box 258, Rusk 75785.