Jack Long

HARWICH — Jack Long, 89, well-known artist on Cape Cod since his retirement to Harwich in 1983, died on April 9, 2008, at the Epoch Senior Healthcare of Brewster, after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease.

At his side were his loving wife of 62 years, Marion E. Willemsen Long, and one of his two sons. His other son had spent the past three weeks with him. Jack was one of six children of E. Edward Long and Edith Burke Long of Beechhurst, N.Y.

Born in New York City in 1948, Jack studied painting and illustration at the Art Students League. He graduated from the Poppenheusen Institute, College Point, N.Y., in drawing and commercial art. He studied sculpture at the American Museum of Natural History.

From 1939 through 1941, he was a promotion artist for The New York Sun. He joined Life Magazine in 1945 and continued as promotional art director of Fortune Magazine until 1957.

Taking a hiatus from Time Inc. for six years, he worked as a freelance art director with a variety of accounts.

He returned to Time Inc. in 1963, working as art director on Life International and Time Life Books. He was a longtime member of the New York Art Directors Club.

On Cape Cod, Jack found more time for his painting, which, through earlier years, had been relegated to weekends. While widely exhibiting his oil paintings, watercolors, and pastels on the Cape, he served as president of the Creative Arts Center, Chatham, and was an active member of the Guild of Harwich Artists.

He launched and hosted his own television program on art instruction on Cape TV, channel 17. "Jack's Place" made Jack's expertise available to a wide audience.

In his 1970s, Jack could be found on the high scaffolding executing his two immense murals at Holy Trinity Church of West Harwich. "The sermon on the Mount," dedicated to his wife, Marion, and "The Last Supper," which features depictions of his sons among the apostles. He also completed murals at the Harwich Pantry Food Bank, where he long served as a volunteer.

In addition to his wife, Jack is survived by two sons, Jeffrey of San Francisco and Brian of Santa Fe, N.M.

Visitation will be held at the Coutinho-Boisse Funeral Home, 678 Main St., Harwich Center, on Friday, April 11, 2008, from 3 to 5 p.m., and on Saturday, April 12, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A funeral service will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Congregational Church of Harwich Center. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Harwich Food Pantry or the Guild of Harwich Artists.

For directions, personal guest book, or to light a candle in Jack's memory, please go to www.cbfuneralhome.com.