Norma Long

Norma grew up on the family farm, which remains operational today and is still run by her nephew. While attending high school, among other activities, she participated with the Majorettes as a baton twirler. The friendships she made in school were lifelong, and throughout the years Norma regularly reconnected with her classmates and attended many of their high school reunions.

After graduation, Norma married her high school sweetheart Kenneth on her 19th birthday, July 12, 1953, to whom she remained married to for 69 years until his passing in 2022. In 1955 with the birth of their eldest daughter Taryn, they became a family of three. Shortly thereafter, the family increased with another daughter, Vickie, and son, Keith. At the same time Norma began her working career to help support her family while her husband attended college in Lincoln. Among her various jobs in the restaurant industry, she was also employed with Russell Stover’s candy factory where she developed her love for chocolate-covered cherries.

After taking time to raise her children into their teen years, her working career took a new direction. She joined her husband, Ken, as the office manager of Long & Associates as he started his own engineering firm. After working with her husband for ten years at the engineering firm, she went to work at the Nebraska Department of Labor in the unemployment division until her retirement in March 2001. After a few years of retirement, she soon found herself back in the office environment working with her daughter, Taryn, up until 2024. The tasks she performed kept her mind active and sharp right up to the end.

Norma greatly enjoyed traveling and playing bridge. In 1979, she took to the sky, and she achieved her pilot’s license in 1983 after three solo flights. Her love of travel took her across the seas and through the skies to places such as Spain, Italy and England as well as enjoying travels across the states with annual trips to visit her daughter and grandsons in the Pacific Northwest.

She had diverse interests outside of work. Norma’s skill at bridge took her from tournaments by the American Contract Bridge League, to ladies groups, to the bridge club while residing at the Grand Lodge. She was a longtime member of the Lincoln Women’s Chamber of Commerce where she volunteered for numerous activities in the community. After her husband’s passing, she lived the last three years at the Grand Lodge. While there, Norma greatly enjoyed all the friendships she made, the bridge she played, and the worship she attended with Pastor Lu.

Norma was a woman of quiet dedication to her family and community. She had an exceptional memory. She never missed a loved one’s birthday and could always be counted on to fill in the details you couldn’t remember. Her first and foremost love was for her family and nothing brought her more pride and joy than learning the accomplishments of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Norma is preceded in death by her father, Henry Lange and mother, Anna Lange; siblings; Emil Lange, Gilbert Lange, Irene Lange Hoge, Shirley Lange Brasch. She is survived by children: Taryn Long of Lincoln, NE, Vickie Raphael of Arlington, WA, Keith (Jolene) Long of Papillion, NE; grandchildren, Jarid (Ashley) Long of Gig Harbor, WA, Kamrie (Shea) Lusero of Papillion, NE, Wyatt Raphael of Lynnwood, WA, Will Raphael of Bellingham, WA, Nicholas Hemphill of Lincoln, NE; great-grandchildren Lennon & Ayda Lusero, and Jordan Long.

A celebration of life for Norma will be 2:00 pm Friday, March 21, 2025 at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home, 6800 S. 14th St. Lincoln, Nebraska 68512 with a visitation one hour prior from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm. Memorials designated to the American Cancer Society in Norma's honor.