Grace Maurita Long

Grace Maurita Long, 91, of 940 Pasley Lane, Moneta, Va., died on Monday, November 30, 2009, at Smith Mountain Lake Retirement Village. She was born in Milford, Neb., on May 21, 1918. She was adopted by the late Paul T. Lenz and Eva Lena Huxtable Lenz ,of Hastings, Neb., as an infant. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, the Rev. James E. Long Sr.; one daughter, Dr. Roberta Anne Campbell; and one brother, Elgin W. Lenz. Grace graduated from Hastings College, and received her nursing degree from Samaritan Hospital and a master's degree in nursing education from Boston University. She was an accomplished violinist, pianist and organist. She loved to paint on canvas and to design flower gardens. While living in the Boston area, Grace served as Worthy Matron of Palestine Chapter No. 114, Order of the Eastern Star. Her love of children led her into pediatric nursing where she excelled as a teacher of student nurses. Retiring from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston Mass., Grace and her husband, the Rev. James E. Long Sr., returned to Lynchburg, Va., to live. Grace is survived by two sons, the Rev. Father Robert Harold Long and his wife, Betty F. Long, of Spartanburg, S.C., and James Edward Long Jr. and his wife, Sybille B. Long, of Sayre, Okla.; one daughter, Margaret Ruth Long Hager and husband, Phillip, of Moneta; 11 grandchildren, Tara Grace Campbell Herreras, Regan Helen Campbell, Kimberly Long Hall, Christopher Kevin Long, Katherine Montgomery Long, Robert Kenneth Long, Gavin Andrew Hager, Gretchen L. Hager Tipps, Nicholas Peter Long, James Edward Long III, and Shawn Alexander Long; and nine great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions maybe made to Lake Christian Ministries, 13157 Old Moneta Road, Moneta, Va. 24121, SML Lions Club Scholarship Trust Inc., P.O. Box 655, Hardy, Va. 24101, Angels from an Angel Tree or a church or charity of your choice. Services will be private. Arrangements by Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, SML, 540-721-9375. To send condolences online, visit www.tharpfuneralhome.com.