Margaret Long

Margaret Preacher Long, known as Tish, passed away on Friday, April 19, 2019 at the age of 101. She was born in Augusta, Georgia to G. Lloyd Preacher and Frances Adelaide McDaniel Preacher and was the fourth of five children. When Tish was five years old, she moved with her family to Atlanta, where her father established a successful architectural practice that designed many notable buildings throughout the eastern seaboard and in Atlanta including the City Hall Building which still stands in downtown Atlanta. While in Atlanta, Tish attended high school and graduated from Washington Seminary.

Tish married Henry Sprott Long on June 28, 1941, and they moved to Birmingham where he established his architectural firm. Shortly after their marriage and with the outbreak of WWII, Sprott joined the US Army and, with Tish by his side, they moved around the country with stops in California, Washington, Virginia and Alabama while Sprott was in training with the Corp of Engineers. During this adventure, Tish worked as a Secretary and Clerk at each of their stops along the way. After the war, they returned to Birmingham where Sprott reopened the architectural firm of Henry Sprott Long and Associates and he and Tish became active in the Birmingham community.

Tish was a member of Independent Presbyterian Church, The Little Garden Club of Birmingham, The Linly Heflin Unit, Cambridge Study Club, and The Junior League of Birmingham. Tish lived her life with a joyful and unconditional love for family and friends. She was the rare individual who never had a bad thing to say about anyone and found fault with no one. Because of her sweet personality, great sense of fun and inherent kindness, she was adored by her family and friends. Her’s was a life of loving grace, which shed a positive light on all who knew her.

Tish is predeceased by her husband, her parents, her sister Mary Preacher Burke,

her brothers G. Lloyd Preacher Jr., Jack Preacher and Tom Preacher, and her son in law, Leo Milton Karpeles, Jr. She is survived by her daughter Ruth Adelaide (Laide) Long Karpeles, her son Henry (Hank) Sprott Long, Jr. (Gina), her grandchildren Margaret Karpeles Clements (Dave), Leo Milton Karpeles III (Marilyn), Henry Sprott Long III (Alice) and Virginia McGinnis Long and five great grandchildren Adelaide (Addie) Frances Clements, Jane Ellis Karpeles, Lacy Kay Karpeles, Leo Milton Karpeles IV and Henry (Hank) Sprott Long IV.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 at 10:00 am in the parlor at Independent Presbyterian Church. A memorial service will follow in the sanctuary at 11:00 am.

The family is very grateful to Tish’s longtime caregivers Bobbie Ruffin, Jeanette Dorsey, Theresa Johnson and Helen Price. Their special dedication meant so much to Tish and her loved ones.

Memorials may be sent to Independent Presbyterian Church, 3100 Highland Avenue South, Birmingham, Alabama, 35205 or a charity of choice.