Richard Graham Long

1927 - 2026

Richard Graham Long, a devoted public servant, scholar, and lifelong learner, passed away peacefully at his home on March 8, 2026, at the age of 98. Born on December 30, 1927, in Chicago, Illinois, Richard lived a life marked by curiosity, integrity, and a deep commitment to understanding the world. Richard graduated from Princeton University in 1949 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, later earning a Master's degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1954. His early career included service as a crypto analyst for the U.S. Army from 1950 to 1952, with assignments both stateside and in Tokyo, Japan. He went on to serve as an International Relations Officer in Washington, D.C., from 1954 to 1955. In 1955, Richard married Anne Priscilla Alling, beginning a partnership that supported his wide-ranging career in diplomacy and public service. The following year, he joined the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer, embarking on a distinguished career that spanned nearly 25 years. His assignments took him across the globe, including posts in Pakistan, Algeria, and Paris, France. From 1969 to 1970, he was assigned to the Army War College in Montgomery, Alabama, further deepening his expertise in international affairs. After retiring from the State Department in 1980, Richard continued his government service at the Pentagon as a Contemporary Document Reviewer. Never one to stop learning, he returned to academia and completed his PhD at George Washington University in 1995. He went on to teach foreign policy and government relations at several colleges in Maryland and Virginia before retiring to Myersville, Maryland. Richard was an avid naturalist, hiker, and golfer, enjoying the outdoors well into his 90s. He is survived by his four children: Conrad B. Long; Kathryn G. Larson; Barbara M. Long-Bonadio; Nathan A. Long; and his granddaughter, Harvee M. Bonadio. Expressions of sympathy may be offered to the family at StaufferFuneralHome.com. Richard Long