James R. Long

James R. Long, age 83, of Appleton, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his children on December 29, 2021. James (Jim) was born May 6, 1938, in Appleton, and was the eldest child of the late Walter and Mary Ellen (Hawley) Long.
Jim loved serving others through his work. He was not interested in retiring. Even in his final year of life, he had two concurrent careers; one as a self-employed practicing attorney and the other as an owner/landlord of James R. Long Properties. He wanted "to be your landlord" and you could often find him interacting with his tenants at his office buildings that were situated near his home on his parents' former farmland.
Jim proudly received his bachelor's degree and law degree from Marquette University. He then served in the United States Air Force from 1964 to 1968, receiving an honorable discharge as a Captain, with much of his service in Wiesbaden, West Germany.
Jim served as Outagamie County District Attorney from 1968 to 1972. Jim also ran for U.S. Congress in 1972 and would often say that losing that race (to his good friend Harold Froehlich) paved the way for good things to come. He then formed his own general law practice serving individuals of the community. He also represented General Growth Development in the Wisconsin Supreme Court to secure the construction of the Fox River Mall.
Family, faith, friends, and sports were very important to Jim. He could have won an award for most home and away youth sports games watched. He found great joy in time with his children and grandchildren on vacations in Sarasota and Siesta Key, Florida. He was a lifelong member of St. Mary Catholic Church, and particularly enjoyed being an altar server for funerals in his later years. Jim loved to golf. He could be found at Ridgeway Country Club golfing or playing cards with "The Herd." Jim also very much enjoyed meeting with his breakfast club weekly to discuss current events. Jim had a strong love for the Brewers, Packers and Marquette men's basketball.
Jim grew up attending to the family farm, which early in his life, had a wood burning stove and outhouse. Amazingly, he overcame a childhood stuttering issue. Up until junior high, he attended a one-room schoolhouse in his farm community and was the only boy in his grade.
Jim had an infectious smile and was extremely optimistic, generous and kind – always stopping to chat and laugh with anyone he met along the way.
Jim is survived by his five children: Colleen (John) McFarland, Chicago; Kevin (Peggy) Long, Fox Point, WI; Patrick Long, Greenville. WI; Sheila Long, Whitefish Bay, WI; and Eileen Speidel and her husband Dennis Van Ooyen, Mason, OH. He was the grandfather of Daniel and Chris McFarland, Mary Ellen, Molly, and Katie Long, Isabella, Marco, and Julia Grion, and Sean and Audrey Speidel. He is also survived by his brother Tom (Kathy) Long, and his sisters, Rita (the late Tom Geerdts) Long, Patricia (the late John) Lucas and Kathleen Long, O.P. He is also survived by close family friend and colleague, Anne Weiland, of Kimberly, WI, and her three children and four grandchildren. He was a beloved uncle to several nieces and nephews and one of the oldest of 42 cousins.
The funeral liturgy will be Monday, January 3, 2022, at 11 a.m. at St Mary Parish, 312 S. State St., Appleton. Friends and family may call at the Brettschneider-Trettin-Nickel Funeral Chapel, 606 Oneida St., Appleton, from 5 until 7 p.m. on Sunday, January 2, 2022, and from 9-10:45 am on January 3, 2022, at St. Mary Parish.
Should friends desire, memorial contributions can be made to Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa http://www.sinsinawa.org/forms/p/donation or the Law School Annual Fund at Marquette University (https://www.marquette.edu - Give to Marquette.).
The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Jim's medical providers, the independent caregivers and those from Home Instead Senior Care and Heartland Home Health Care & Hospice, who helped Jim and the entire family on his journey.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of James, please visit our floral store.