LONG, ROBERT CHARLES “BOB”, LONGTIME RESIDENT OF CHAMPION, ALBERTA PASSED AWAY SUDDENLY MARCH 29, 1995 AT CALGARY, ALBERTA AT THE AGE OF 66 YEARS.
ROBERT CHARLES LONG WAS BORN JANUARY 5, 1929 TO RETA AND JOHN LONG ALONG WITH HIS IDENTICAL TWIN, JOHN BARRY LONG. ROBERT HAS LIVED ON THE FAMILY HOMESTEAD NEAR CHAMPION ALL OF HIS LIFE. DURING HIS SCHOOL YEARS BOB WAS VERY ATHLETIC AND ACTIVE IN SPORTS. IN HIS YOUNGER YEARS, HE AND HIS BROTHER JACK, LOOKED SO MUCH ALIKE, THEY OCCASIONALLY LIKED TO TRY TO TRICK PEOPLE INTO MISTAKING ONE FOR THE OTHER, AND SOMETIMES SUCCEEDED. DURING THE WAR YEARS BOB AND HIS BROTHER JOINED AIR CADETS AND LEARNED TO FLY. BOB EARNED HIS PRIVATE PILOTS LICENSE AND ENJOYED FLYING THE FAMILY AIRPLANE VERY MUCH. AFTER HIGH SCHOOL BOB CONTINUED WITH FARMING, WHICH WAS VERY FULFILLING FOR HIM. HE ATTENDED S.A.I.T WERE HE STUDIED AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS, THEN HE ATTENDED MOUNT ROYAL COLLAGE TO STUDY BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. WHILE IN CALGARY HE MET AND MARRIED EVELYN HAWKWOOD AND THEY RETURNED TO THE FARM.
BOB WAS ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY. AT A YOUNG AGE HE LEARNED TO PLAY THE CLARINET AND TENOR SAXOPHONE. HE PLAYED BIG BAND MUSIC IN A LOCAL ORCHESTRA PLAYING MANY NEW YEARS EVE DANCES AND SPECIAL OCCASIONS. HE WAS ALSO INVOLVED WITH THE LOCAL CALGARY HIGHLANDERS MILITIA WHERE HE OBTAINED THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT. BOB WAS ALSO ACTIVE WITH THE MASONIC LODGES IN CHAMPION, WHERE HE SERVED AS MASTER AND LATER IN VULCAN. HE WAS ALSO AN ACTIVE ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION, CHAMPION BRANCH.
BOB WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES WHEN HE WAS 35 YEARS OLD, AND HAD TO TAKE INSULIN INJECTIONS FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS OF HIS LIFE. WHILE THIS TOOK A TERRIBLE TOLL ON HIS HEALTH OVER THE YEARS, HE ALWAYS ACCEPTED HIS FATE BRAVELY, WITH GOOD HUMOR AND CARRIED ON DOING HIS BEST FOR HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS LOVING WIFE EVELYN OF CHAMPION, TWO DAUGHTERS ELIZABETH LONG OF QUALICUM BEACH, B.C. AND LINDA (PETE) KAISER OF CALGARY, A SON ROBERT (JANICE) OF CALGARY, FIVE GRAND-CHILDREN; TOBIAS CONTRERES, KAETHLYN AND REBECCA KAISER, JILLIAN AND ADRIENNE LONG, HIS MOTHER RETA LONG OF CALGARY, A BROTHER GLENN (DORIS) OF CALGARY, A SISTER YVONNE (DON) CHARLESON OF BILLINGS, MONTANA, AND NUMEROUS NIECES AND NEPHEWS.
BOB WAS PREDECEASED BY HIS FATHER JOHN IN 1978, A BROTHER JACK IN 1993.
FUNERAL SERVICE SATURDAY APRIL 1, 1995 AT 2 P.M. AT CHAMPION UNITED CHURCH WITH FRANK JOHNSON L.M. OFFICIATING.
INTERMENT CHAMPION CEMETERY.
HONOURARY BEARERS FRED FLEMING, CHUCK KRASMAN, ANDY WEERSTRA, KEN BJORNSON, GEORGE ELLIS, FRED SELLAND, ALLAN MCLEAN AND KEN GATENBY.
CASKET BEARERS RANDY LONG, ARNIE KLITMOLLER, BILL FLEMING, DAVE JOHNSON, JERRY BJORNSON AND LES KRASMAN.
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS TRIBUTES IN BOB’S MEMORY SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE CANADIAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION #114, 1212—1 ST. S.E. CALGARY T2G OG8.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME.