Joseph Douglas Longo

Joseph Douglas "Doug" Longo, 57, a native of Tampa, FL passed away after a brief illness while vacationing in Cairo, Egypt on October 8, 2024. Albeit short, what a life he lived! His definite "carpe diem" attitude brought him more adventures than most can ever dream of. He will be most remembered for his mischievous dry wit, his laid back attitude, his genuine friendliness and his unbridled devotion to his wife, Nicole.

Doug attended and made long lasting friends with students at St. John's Episcopal School, Tampa Preparatory School and Stetson University in Deland, Fl, which he selected based on its proximity to multiple bodies of water in which he could bend his rod when not in class. Following college, Doug moved to Boston to seek a career in music and audited classes at both Harvard University and the Berklee College of Music, once studying under Billy Joel who shared that many of his songs came to him in dreams, a trait they both shared.

For anyone fortunate to have met Doug, the old adage "it's not the breaths you take but the moments that take your breath away" defines the life of adventure he led. For four years he circumnavigated the world with his friend on his friend's 56-foot sailboat, aptly named "The Challenge," where their adventures - and misadventures - included being boarded by pirates with AK-47s, braving 30-foot waves in a stormy Indian ocean with a broken hull, being escorted to a US Naval base by a submarine, learning new languages by immersion and making lifelong sailing friends.

Doug was an avid angler. After his four-year sailing stint, he participated in a dozen annual fishing tournaments. Nicknamed "the fish whisperer," he sought out redfish, snook and trout in the flats of Florida and frequently hosted fish barbecues to share his bounties with close friends.

An accomplished and talented musician and songwriter, he cherished his Yamaha keyboard over his other instruments. in his 20s had the opportunity to audition for Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Records, who constructively encouraged him to polish his skills and try again in a few years.

For 25 years, Doug worked for his father's residential property business, managing the day-to-day duties of multiple rental properties and because of his easy going nature, was adored by many tenants.

Doug is survived by his widow and best friend of 20 years, Nicole, whom he met 43 years ago in high school. The two of them loved traveling to new countries and exploring different cultures, although after visiting 125 countries, it was difficult to find a new place that Doug hadn't seen. He leaves behind two adored cats, Leopold and the Pounce. He is survived by his mother, Suzanne, brother Vince (Ala), sister-in law Dana Rogers, mother- and father-in-law, Lind and David Rogers, uncle and aunt John and Toma Longo and uncle and aunt Kelly and Cynthia Young. He was preceded in death by his beloved father, Vince Longo, Sr.

An informal celebration of life open house will be held at one of his favorite restaurants, Pane Rustica, 3225 S. MacDill Avenue in Tampa on Tuesday, October 29 from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. so please raise a glass, have some hors d'oeurves and share your favorite stories.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cat Trap Fever from where one of his cats was rescued at https://linktr.ee/JessiCatTrapFever or mail to 7512 37th Ave. N, St. Petersburg, FL 33710 or to the ALS Association of Florida als.org/donate or mail to ALS at PO Box 37022, Boone, IA 50037.