George W. Long

1935 - 2021

George W. Long

August 27, 1935-October 2, 2021

George was born August 27, 1935, in Muscatine, Iowa. He died October 2, 2021, in Urbandale, Iowa. He was the son of George Walpole Long and Ellen Higgins Long; the eldest of their three children.

He graduated from Muscatine High School in 1954 as a member of the Class of Champions where he was a key player on the basketball team that won the Iowa state championship that year. George earned ten letters at Muscatine High School in football, basketball, track, and baseball.

After high school, George attended Parsons College in Fairfield, IA, where he lettered in basketball, track and baseball. After graduation in 1958, with a Bachelor's degree in social studies and physical education, he entered the service for six months before returning to Muscatine. Arriving back in Muscatine, he worked as a fireman for the Muscatine Fire Department and also began doing substitute teaching at Muscatine High School. That is where he met, and was smitten by, a young business teacher named Marie Barger. They were married on December 19, 1959.

George began his full-time career in education at Granger High School in Granger, IA, in 1959. He was a teacher, coach, and athletic director there until 1963. He moved on to a similar position at Dallas Center-Grimes High School where he served until 1968. In the meantime, he had earned a Master's degree in school administration from Drake University in Des Moines. This led to a position as assistant principal and athletics director at Urbandale High School in Urbandale, IA. He remained there until his retirement on July 1, 1998.

While at Urbandale High School he established the Athletes' Hall of Fame honoring UHS students. He also led fundraising efforts that brought millions of dollars to improve athletic facilities at UHS. He was named Urbandale Citizen of the Year in 1982.

He served on the board of directors of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union for eight years. He spent eleven years as the national convention chair for Boosters Clubs of America. Many high schools established or improved their boosters clubs as a result of his efforts.

He was a charter member of the Iowa High School Athletic Directors Association and served as Central District Director, secretary, business manager, newsletter editor, and President. He was a co-founder of The Iowa High School Athletic Coaches Association. In 1994, George was named National High School Athletic Director of the Year.

George was also a long-time member of the Urbandale Lions Club and of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

The awards and honors that came to George were many and varied and well deserved. They were too numerous to list here.

George was preceded in death by his parents and his granddaughter Shannon. Surviving him are his wife Marie, daughter Kathy (Doug) Winger, grandchildren Colin Potts and Amanda (Andrew) Willis, sister Kathy (Dick) Humphrey, brother Tom Long and their families.

A visitation will be held at Iles Westover Chapel on Friday, October 8, from 3 - 6 p.m. His funeral will be at Iles Westover on Saturday, October 9, at 10 a.m. with live streaming from his Iles obituary page. He will be buried at McDivitt Grove Cemetery in Urbandale in a private ceremony.

Memorial contributions can be directed to Iowa High School Athletic Directors Association scholarship funds or to Glen Echo Christian Church