Kevin John Long

Kevin John Long, 72, of Red House, Virginia, was born in New York City on February 25, 1951.  He passed away on December 4, 2023, surrounded by his family, after a short and courageous battle with cancer.  Kevin is survived by his loving wife, Kathy; his four children, Zack (Beth), Lexy (Nate), Kristin (Rory), and Sean (Sarah); six grandchildren: Annabel Long; Katherine, Isaac, and Gabriel George; Theo and Gilbert Francisco; and many friends and extended family.  He is preceded in death by his parents, John and Regina Long, and two siblings who died in infancy.  Kevin and Kathy met in the theater department of Kean College, New Jersey, in 1970.  They were married on October 22, 1972 and moved to Virginia in 1984.  At the time of his death, Kevin was an entrepreneur with several rental properties but he had a varied professional life.  He was a real estate agent, a sales agent, a sales manager, and owned several small businesses, including a plant and floral shop, where he gave lessons in floral design, with Kathy in their 20s and 30s.  In his 50s, he set his mind to learning the ins and outs of construction.  Kevin could run electrical, install HVAC units and plumbing, lay a variety of flooring and tile, build decks, and completely remodel the inside of a home.  One of Kevin’s remarkable traits was if he took an interest in something, he could learn to do it.  When he and Kathy lived in New Jersey, he taught himself to sail by reading a book and would take his fledgling family out on their small sailboat, aptly named “Little Zack.” As a young man, Kevin was quite the athlete; he could swim, box, wrestle, ice skate, and ski.  But he also had a sensitive side: Kevin loved musicals, reading, and watching movies.  He was a skilled artist with both pencil and paint.  He enjoyed calligraphy and doodling.  Kevin was an outdoorsman and loved nature as evidenced by the abundance of plants and flowers surrounding the family home; he took it as a fun challenge to name and identify plants when out for a walk and was a bonsai enthusiast.  He was a lively cook and enjoyed surprising Kathy with a new recipe he had created.  He was fond of horses and owned and trained many throughout his life.  Kevin loved Christmas–the decorations, the food, the music, and giving gifts.  He could tell a good joke, the cornier, the better.  He had a big smile and an even bigger laugh.  Kevin lived his life with passion and zest–he did everything with purpose, including the forceful opening and closing of doors and cabinets.  Above all, Kevin valued and took pride in his family.  When asked how he stayed married for 51 years, he would explain that he and Kathy had just the right amount of love and stubbornness.  He was proud that all four of his children completed college and found wonderful partners.  His grandchildren brought him joy and made him laugh.  He had a quiet faith that he lived out by trying to help others.  His favorite verse was Isaiah 40:31 and it brought him comfort in his final months: “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” He requested a small, private, family gathering to celebrate his life.  He will be remembered for his intensity, his good humor, his outlandish aphorisms and turns of phrases, his grit, and the fact that he never lived a day with the thought, “I can’t.”  We love you, Kevin/Dad/Pappy.   Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360.