Betty Lu Gilleland Long

Betty Lu Gilleland Long, 92, passed away peacefully and surrounded by her family on April 16, 2022. Betty Lu (Blu) was born September 9, 1929, to Harley S. Gilleland, Sr. and Lucille Love Fulp Gilleland. She lived with her family in Hickory, NC, Baltimore, MD, and Statesville, NC, where she met her beloved husband, Ed. They were married in Statesville, NC in 1950 and lived in Blacksburg, VA and Raleigh, NC, before moving to Rockville, MD in 1957. They retired and moved to Chapel Hill, NC in 1992 for twelve great years. Blu returned to Rockville in 2004 to be near her children after losing her dear Ed.

Blu was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved living near DC, discussing politics, watching sports, was an avid reader, and had a fondness for collecting rocks from around the world. Blu also loved learning. This love prompted her to become a co-ed at the University of North Carolina at the age of 70 and brought her within a few credits shy of earning her bachelor's degree.

Blu's lifelong passion was music and singing. Starting from an early age, she was a member of the church choir wherever she went, including First Baptist Church (Statesville, NC), Twinbrook Baptist Church (Rockville, MD), where she was the choir director for ten years, Rockville Community Chorus and St. Paul's United Methodist Church (Kensington, MD). Her beautiful voice was also heard as a member of The National Oratorio Society (Washington, DC) at The Kennedy Center and on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during Robert F. Kennedy's funeral procession.

Blu also spent a lot of her life volunteering. Beginning her service with the League of Women Voters in the 60's, 70's and 80's, she continued on at UNC in the drama department and then concluded at Suburban Hospital in the emergency department for ten years. Blu served as president of Suburban Hospital's Volunteer Association for three of those years.

Blu was preceded in death by her husband, Edwin Monroe Long, Jr., her brother Harley S. Gilleland, Jr., her son Thomas Edwin Long, Sr., and her granddaughter Claire Elizabeth Ridgway. She is survived by her son David Long, her daughters Holly Long Bentley (Peter) and Nancy Long Ridgway (Michael), seven grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren.

Our family cannot thank the wonderful management and staff at The Raphael House enough for the love and care that they bestowed on Blu for eight years. They are truly a blessing to all of the families in their care. Thanks also to the doctors and nursing staff at Suburban Hospital for their gentle care of Blu during her final days.

Blu and her late son Tommy will be laid to rest in Statesville, NC later this summer.