Palmer Reid Long

SHREVEPORT, LA - Palmer Reid Long, son of the late Governor and U.S. Senator Huey Pierce Long, was born September 30, 1921 in Shreveport, Louisiana and died Saturday, October 23, 2010. Services will be held Wednesday October 27th at 12:00 p.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 275 Southfield Road with the Rev. Guido F. Verbeck III presiding. Interment will follow at Forest Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26 at Osborn Funeral Home.
Palmer, a longtime resident of Shreveport who also lived in Baton Rouge and New Orleans as a youth, was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Louene Dance Long, who passed away in January of this year; by his parents, Huey P. Long and U.S. Senator Rose McConnell Long, both of Shreveport; by his sister, Rose Long McFarland of Boulder, Colorado, and by his brother, U.S. Senator Russell B. Long of Washington and Baton Rouge.
He is survived by his son, Palmer Reid Long, Jr. and wife Linda of Shreveport; by his daughter, Laura Long Lubin of West Los Angeles, CA; by his four grandchildren, Barbara Lubin Cottrell of Los Angeles, Palmer R. Long III of San Francisco, and Leah Long Geier and Elizabeth Louene Long, both of Shreveport; by four great grand-children, Alea Elise Long, Tas Evan Long, Gary Gene Geier, and Clara Rose Cottrell; by his sisters-in-law Rubye Dance Dehan of Shreveport and Carolyn Bason Long of Washington D.C.; and by many nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews, plus a host of friends throughout the state.
Palmer attended public schools in Shreveport, Baton Rouge and New Orleans, as well as Sewanee Military Academy in Sewanee, TN. Following his graduation from Baton Rouge High School, he attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge before joining the Army Air Corps as a flight instructor during World War II. After the war, he began his career in the family oil and gas business.
He was very proud to be the son of Huey P. Long and proud also of his father's diligent work and accomplishments in bettering the lives of the citizens of Louisiana. When his brother, Senator Russell B. Long was elected to the United States Senate in 1948 vowing to carry on their father's work, Palmer always worked hard for his brother's campaigns and was entrusted with handling much of the family's business interests. He also worked in the gubernatorial campaigns of his uncle, Governor Earl K. Long.
Palmer was extremely devoted to service in many Masonic organizations. He was a 33rd Degree Scottish Rite Mason. He was Master of the Shreveport Lodge and a current member of Hap Arnold Lodge # 457. Palmer was proud to have been a Mason for over 50 years. He served on the Shriners Hospital Board, was a member of the Shreveport Scottish Rite and of the Royal Order of Jesters. Palmer derived much satisfaction from working with the Shrine Childrens' Hospital.
Palmer loved fishing and hunting, both at his family's former camp at Cross Lake and at his camp on Grand Isle where he and his wife, Louene, vacationed for the past 50 years. He was a great raconteur as well as a great singer, having sung duets with Frank Sinatra. He was popular throughout the state for his fun-loving personality and "joie de vivre." Palmer loved to play golf and attend the races at Louisiana Downs. Most of all, he was one of the LSU TIGERS biggest fans as was his father, Huey.
He and Louene were also members of numerous clubs and civic organizations.
Pallbearers will be H.Q. Gahagan, John M. Shuey, Jr., Andrew Querbes IV, Armand L. Roos, Frank Palms Book, III., and Gerry Merrill.
The family wishes to thank his special friends, Thelma Powell, Willie Mae Funchion, and Belinda Donaghey. We also thank Christus Hospice for all their care and compassion during his last days.
The family requests that memorials be made to either Shriners Hospitals for Children, 3100 Samford Ave., Shreveport, LA 71103 or St. Paul's Episcopal Church.