Everett Keith Long

Everett Keith Long, longtime respected educator, coach and athlete died Monday, June 3, 2013, in Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, June 14, 2013, at First Christian Church (Disciples Of Christ), 29 N. Oakes St., San Angelo, Texas, with the Rev. Ben G. Hubert officiating. Keith was born March 4, 1922, to his parents, Robert E. and Ella Conn Long in Brook, Ind. He graduated from Brook High School in 1940, where he was an outstanding athlete. He entered Indiana University at Bloomington, Ind., in the fall and attended until he was called into the service. At IU Keith played basketball and was a 3-1/2 year track letterman. He was a member of the Phi Epsilon Kappa Fraternity. In 1943, Keith entered the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at numerous bases attending school. In 1945, he was sent to Texas where he met and married Maurine Posey. He graduated from San Angelo Bombardier School at Mathis Field and received his commission as a second lieutenant. He was then sent to Las Vegas, Nev., to await overseas assignment when VE day was declared. He received his honorable discharge in December 1945, and began his coaching career at Lake View Independent High School where he was head coach and athletic director. Keith attended summer school at Sul Ross University, Alpine, Texas, and during the 1948-1949 full term he played varsity basketball for the Lobos along with Joe McClure, one of his former students. He graduated from Sul Ross in May 1949, with a BA and received his masters in August 1949. He always said how privileged he was to teach and coach such a great group of young men and women while at Lake View. Many of them have remained his best friends throughout his life. Keith was out of coaching a couple of years, then came back to San Angelo and started teaching at Edison Junior High, where he was head basketball coach and head of the science department for seven years. While teaching science he had the opportunity to attend summer terms at Texas Christian University, Northern Illinois University, Iowa State University (twice) and Temple University. Keith was always involved in sports. He worked with the Summer City Recreation Department in San Angelo for a number of years. He was director of teen-age baseball. He was a longtime official of all sports in and around the West Texas area. He served as president of the Football, Basketball, and Baseball officiating associations. In his younger years he played semi-pro basketball and baseball with a group of area coaches on the Ellis Parts and Checker Cab teams, as well as with Blondy Cross's University of Harriet team. In September 1969, Keith became media director of Region XIV Education Service Center in Abilene, Texas. He was a member of professional media organizations on state and national levels. He was a member of Lion's International of Abilene, was secretary of Phi Delta Kappa Fraternity in 1975 and 1976, was a member of SARTA and was a life member of Texas State Teachers Association. In June 1981, Keith decided to take an early retirement and move back to San Angelo so that he and Posey could take care of her mother. In August 1981, he began his third career with General Telephone Company of the Southwest. He worked briefly in records and then as assistant librarian until he retired in 1987. Then you might say he began his fourth career of playing golf and drinking coffee with "A very special group of guys." Keith was a longtime active member of First Christian Church in San Angelo, Brook Hollow in Abilene and Lake View in San Angelo. He served as moderator (chairman of the board) in all three churches, was chair of and served on committees, a deacon, an elder, taught the high school age Sunday school classes at Lake View and Brook Hollow for a number of years and taught the Henson Class at First Christian Church several years. He was a member of the Chancel Choir until failing eye sight forced him to retire. Keith was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Ella Long; brothers Kenneth, Hubert, Bob and Edwin; sisters Edna, Clara and Ruby; a sister-in-law, Mary Len Browning; and a brother-in-law, John Westbrook. He is survived by his wife, Posey, of 67 years; their children and spouses, Sandy and Norman Ray Jenkins of San Angelo, Cheryl and Don Pettit of South Carolina, Eddie Keith Long of San Angelo and Kevin and Renee Long of Abilene; grandchildren Jason Jenkins of Chicago, Ill., Erin Pettit of Charlotte, N.C., Neil and Nikki Pettit of Fletcher, N.C., and Seth Long of Abilene; sisters-in-law Dorace Jane Westbrook of Morton, Texas, Jo Ann and Paul Sherwood of Salem, Ore.; brother-in-law Gene Browning of Abilene; and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to Chancel Choir of First Christian Church, 29 N. Oakes St., San Angelo, TX 76903; or to a favorite charity . Good Game Coach!!! Family and friends may sign the online register book at johnsons-funeralhome.com.