Sybil Elaine Long

Sybil Elaine Nobles Long, 90, of Columbia, SC passed away peacefully on September 25, 2026, at MUSC (formerly Providence) Hospital. A visitation will be held October 4, 2026 (Sunday) at 1 p.m. at St Andrews Lutheran Church followed by a celebration of life / funeral service at 2 p.m. A private graveside service for the immediate family will be held afterward in Silverstreet, SC.

Sybil was born in Columbia, South Carolina, on October 25, 1935, as the daughter of Howard J. and Kathleen Derrick Nobles. She grew up in the Camp Fornance community as a member of Reformation Lutheran Church and graduated from Columbia High School in 1953. After attending Lenoir Rhyne University and the University of South Carolina, she traveled the world as a service wife, started a family and made a loving home in every one of their many duty stations. When she returned to Columbia in 1975, she found the love of her life in Bobby Long and together they maintained homes in the Dutch Fork part of Columbia and the Long Family Farm in Silverstreet. Professionally she served for many years beside Drs. Frank Hines and Frank Hines, Jr. in the field of Orthodontics.

She loved music, played the piano, sang in the church choir and loved to dance. She was accomplished in quilting and lovingly made a quilt for each family member, as well as each graduating senior from her church. Sybil also enjoyed her card and theater groups, and the ice cream outings afterwards. She was a great cook and loved planning family outings and vacations where everyone gathered around a wonderful meal. More than anything in the world, Sybil loved her family and celebrated their time together. She especially cherished holidays as a time to gather her very large family together and show everyone how much she loved them – and hoping that it rubbed off.

Sybil was preceded in death by her husband Robert (Bobby) Long, and her sister Barbara Nobles Burton. She is survived by her children: Clifton Carthelle Courtney (Mary), Jeffery Frank Courtney (Melissa, deceased), Carla Gay Courtney, step children: Robert Dean Long (Kay), Lisa Long Reiss (Daniel), Marshall Ray Long (Angela), her nine grandchildren: Elaine Taber Courtney, John Derrick Courtney (Sarah), Luke Courtney, Lindsay Houser (Russell), Summer Hausdorf (Andrew), Braden Bailes, Benjamin Long, John Long and Alex Long, her nine great grandchildren: Erica Salisbury (Talon), Caroline and Lillian Pape, Gabrielle Solis, Gavin, Levi, Evelyn and Oliver Houser, and Ila Hausdorf, her great great grandchild: Talia Salisbury, and her niece: Sandra (Sug) Kaiser.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be given to St. Andrews Lutheran Church.