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BORN
1945
DIED
2020
FUNERAL HOME
Robert Long Obituary
Robert Basil Long was born Sept. 16, 1945, in Keokuk, a son of John C. "Jack" and Grace M. (Gilbert) Long.
He had been married to Mercedes Peitzmeier. She preceded him in death in 1984.
Bob was an entrepreneur, starting Thinkers Press, Chessco, and Typefaces in downtown Davenport. He was a member of Sacred Heart Cathedral. He enjoyed chess, church, family, friends, and movies
Those left to cherish Bob's memory include his children, Robert M. "Rob" Long, II, Frederick, Md., and Christine (Ed) Palmer and Nathan Long, all of Davenport; grandchildren, Brianna (Sawyer) Bartlett, Alex Long and Maya Rodriguez, all of Davenport, and Melissa Palmer, Cedar Rapids; great-grandchildren, Aurora, Danni and Jack; siblings, Mary Claire (William) Bersbach, Galena, Ill., James Long and Lawrence (Sandy) Long, all of Keokuk, Joan (Paul) Gilkerson, Kahoka, Mo., and Jeanne (Billy) Buckner, Keokuk; and many loving nieces, nephews and extended family.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Mercedes; and sister, Rita Long.
A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial to celebrate Bob's life will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport. The family will greet friends prior to mass at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service. The rite of cremation was accorded and inurnment will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Davenport.
Memorials may be made to King's Harvest-Pet Rescue.
Halligan McCabe DeVries Funeral Home assisted his family with arrangements.
Online condolences and remembrances may be expressed at www.hmdfuneralhome.com.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Robert Long
Sponsored by Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home.
Ken Fee
May 22, 2021
Do you know who took over Bob’s Chess publishing business. I am a long time customer.Ken. Kansas City Chess Club
[email protected] 816-446-3550
Christine Palmer
April 21, 2021
I want to thank all of you who have left condolences to our family. I miss my dad greatly! He would tell me some of the stalest jokes which would crack him up to no end. God, I miss that! He was a good man and a good dad. Thank you all! Christine Palmer ❤
Albert Rahe
September 11, 2020
Sorry to hear of his passing. I worked with Bob when he worked at Rock Island Arsenal after he graduated from college. Played chess with him (but I was no match for him). He introduced me to the humor of WC Fields. He always comes to mind when I watch a WC Fields movie. May he Rest In Peace.
Joan DuBois
January 16, 2020
My condolences to the family of Bob. I knew Bob about 50 years as we were connected through chess. It wasn't until a couple years ago that when I received an email from Bob about placing an ad in our magazine that I saw he wrote "pray tell" in his email. I nearly jumped out of my chair and immediately replied back to Bob - "have I found a fellow Sherlockian?" (Sherlockian is one who is addicted to Sherlock Holmes mysteries.) Bob immediately wrote back, "yup!".
Bob you will be missed - may you rest in peace.
Julian Wan
January 15, 2020
I am very sad and shocked to learn of Bob's passing. I knew him through chess. He was entranced by the game, enjoyed the players and most of all, loved chess books. He'll be greatly missed. Rest in peace Bob.
Julian Wan
January 15, 2020
I knew Bob as one of his many chess friends. He truly enjoyed the game, the players and most of all, chess books. I was shocked to hear the news. Rest in peace Bob.
Paul Herrera
January 13, 2020
I can't count the number of years that I've known the Long family... Since all of the children were young enough to still be at home on Arlington Court with their mother, Mercedes and Bob. They were and are a good family. I did some of the illustrations for Bob's early publications. He had a successful typesetting business that was unfortunately hit by the advent of the Macintosh computer. "Now everyone thinks they are a typesetter" he would say. Yet he never quit his dream and he went on to do great things. He was a smart man, a good man and a great friend. God bless you Bob.
Ken Prestley
January 13, 2020
So sorry for your loss! RIP old friend!
January 13, 2020
We are so sad and shocked to hear about Bob's passing. It's hard to put into words how much he means to us. We met Bob in 2015 while on a search for a book he had published in 1989 "1933 The Devil Comes to Henry County. Luckily for us he had a copies at the house. 300 to be exact of which we purchased 100. Our original quest was to find the book, which lead him to giving me the nickname of Sherlock and Dave was The Hippie. He attended our wedding in 2018 and hung out with our families after for lunch. He also had been trying to improve Dave's chess game. Dave didn't mind getting beaten by Bob every time they played. Bob is always going to hold a special place in our hearts and will truly be missed. Dave Tighe and Terry Krueger
Dan O'Hanlon
January 13, 2020
We have lost a great man and a true lover of the game of chess.
Dan O'Hanlon
January 13, 2020
I only have know Bob for a little over a year from Bible Study. He was smart but had a great since of humor that I enjoyed. He will be missed.
Sandy Liagre
Andrew Martin
January 13, 2020
Rest in Peace Bob
Andrew
Robert Woodworth
January 12, 2020
I was very lucky to have known Bob as he was a wonderful friend to me in our
common interest in the game of chess!! He will be greatly missed!!
Rest In Peace, Bob
Bob Ratcliff
January 12, 2020
I've known Bob for almost 40 years, first through chess. Most recently we became closer as we sat in "our" pew at church. We've grown to be better friends than we were when we were just chess buddies and I always looked forward to his unique point of view that I heard every Sunday morning. I will really miss him.
Samuel Naylor
January 12, 2020
I knew and appreciated Bob through Chess from
about 1975 to his death 2020. At first he and
his sister Rita managed Chess Enterprises which
became Chess Butler and another name or so. They
were very helpful and Bob especially obtained all
sorts of chessbooks and dvds and other chess
equipment and shipped them out, in his famous
"bullet-proof packaging" so they'd arrive soon
and in good shape. Hundreds of phone conversations and email communications, all good and very insightful about the Chess world as well as life on this earth generally. He also brought to Davenport Chess Grandmasters from England and elsewhere to give instructions to us. He wrote books as well as marketing
those of other people, and his son worked with
him to get illustrations, art-work, and type
faces. It was a great family effort. Also,
you cannot forget his good humor, his realistic
outlook on life, without being pessimistic, and
his over-all kindness. With his death, there
is a pall and an emptiness in mid-America especially, and also in other parts of USA and
overseas, as Bob had customers, chess-friends,
far and wide. Sorry to say goodbye, Bob, and wish eternal pax vobiscum.
Mary Lou Baumgartner
January 12, 2020
Bob was member of my Bible Study group and prayer group. I frequently saw Bob at daily Mass at St. Anthony's downtown Davenport. He will be greatly missed by his church community.
January 12, 2020
I never knew Bob personally but because of his books and materials from Chessco, I learned much and was able to teach his love of chess to beginning students in the Pleasant Valley School system for many years. Rest in peace, Bob.
Lori Dixon
January 12, 2020
So sorry for your loss! His picture depicts how nice and loving he must have been. Always cherish the memories God gives you of him.
Jen an Robin Ewing
January 11, 2020
Was a great neighbor.
Mike Vuolo
January 11, 2020
Our lives are richer because we knew you. You touched upon many souls along the way. Rest well my friend
January 11, 2020
I knew your father when I was a student in Davenport. He was very helpful on which chess books I should purchase to help my game. My condolences to your family.
Raymond
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