Clifton Issaih (Skip) Longley Jr.

Skip is preceded in death by his parents, Clifton and Elizabeth Longley; his in-laws, Charles and Eva Rackley; brothers Graydon Longley and Leroy Longley; sister Beverly Norton; and his treasured pugs, Oscar and Otis.

Born in Burlington, Vermont on October 23, 1947, Skip lived in Middlebury and Bridport, Vermont for the first 18 years of his life. After graduating from Middlebury High, Skip enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served his country faithfully and honorably during the Vietnam era (1966-69). He spent 13 months of his military service in Da Nang. Skip embodied the Marine Corps motto “Semper Fidelis” throughout his life. He was a faithful son, father, father-in-law, grandfather, brother, employee, marine, soldier, and friend.Skip also served in the U.S. Army for three years and was employed by Barnhill Contracting as a backhoe operator for 29 years.

Skip had an incredible work ethic, and some say he may have been the best backhoe operator on the planet. Skip retired from Barnhill in December, 2014, and had the opportunity to travel to his home state of Vermont, to Tennessee, and to his beloved NC mountain home several times before he became ill.

Skip had a variety of interests and enjoyed his childhood in the Green Mountains of Vermont and on the shores of Lake Champlain. After his tour in the Marines, he embraced and came to love his adopted state of North Carolina as he settled there, marrying, and raising his growing family. He loved baseball, water skiing, cycling, go-carting, and anything athletic or dealing with the outdoors. He also was an avid New York Yankees and a Carolina Panthers fan. He was never happier than when he was attending his children’s, and later his grandchildren’s football, baseball, volleyball, and soccer games, band concerts, cheerleading competitions, parades, and graduations. He had the pleasure of seeing all of his four children married to wonderful spouses and was so happy to be a part of those celebrations.Always the jokester, Skip loved life, his family, and his church.

He leaves behind his beloved wife of 47 years, Linda Rackley Longley; three sons, Jeff (Angie) Longley, Shannon (Kelly) Longley, Chris (Khristen) Longley; one daughter, April (Keith) Ramsey; and six grandchildren- Meredith, Kristen, Blake, Gavin, Evan, and Trevor; and two step-grandchildren Teresa and Heather Ramsey; one brother, Emery (Edna) Longley and one sister, Grace Edney, both in Vermont. He also leaves many caring friends and extended family.

A special thanks to the nursing staff in the ER, CCU, and on the 10th floor of New Hanover Regional Medical Center and especially Dr. Jennifer Nomidas who provided such excellent and compassionate care during Skip’s recent hospilization.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, January 31, 2016 at Coble Ward-Smith Funeral Home from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. His home going service will be held at Riley’s Creek Baptist Church on Monday, February 1, 2016 at 1:00 PM.

Family and friends are encouraged and welcomed to visit the family one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park.