Harlan Eugene Long (Captain, USAF, retired), 74, of Guffey, CO passed away peacefully on Monday morning, May 8, 2017 at his home with his wife, Anita (and their dear friend, Amy Mason) at his side. He was born on January 14, 1943 in Chicago, IL to Clarence and Gladys (Dunlap) Long. He lived most of his formative years in Monticello, IL (Class of ‘61), got his BS and MBA from the University of Illinois in Champaign, IL and joined the U.S. Air Force in 1967 to serve in Vietnam as an F-4 fighter pilot. He married Linda Sue Paustian at Clark AFB in the Philippines in 1970. Upon his discharge in 1975 they moved to Colorado Springs, CO where Harlan worked for the IRS. He started his own business in 1983 on Colorado Avenue working as a CPA, certified tax account and financial advisor until he retired in 2013. His first wife died in 1994 and in 2000 he married Anita Wrench Hayes (Class of ’64), who he first met in 1960 at Monticello High School. In 2005 they moved to Guffey, CO into their newly-built house in the mountains. Harlan loved to read and learned to do almost anything he wanted from books. He renovated his office building with its three rental units and did almost all of the construction on his house in Guffey including a large workshop where he could tinker to his heart’s content. He enjoyed genealogy and researching his family’s history. For a short time he was a volunteer (and the Treasurer) for the volunteer fire department in Guffey. He loved to ride his motorcycle and take his convertible out for a spin. He enjoyed photography and had his own studio for a few years. He was a member of the VFW and a long-time member of Elks Lodge 309 in Colorado Springs. He was a proficient pool player and enjoyed the Elks’ pool leagues and RV camping. He dreamed of building a small airplane from a kit but became ill before he could fulfill that dream. He didn’t have any children of his own but helped his nieces, nephew and others whenever he could. He was an intelligent, thoughtful, caring man who chose to lead a very quiet and private life in his final years. He will be missed by all who knew him. Harlan is survived by his wife: Anita Long of Guffey; sister: Linda (Bob) Bowlby of Cerro Gordo, IL; step-siblings: Clarence Lang, Cheryl Jensen, Rebecca Paul, Sandra Abendshein and Patricia Richey, all Texans; nieces and nephew: Kordelia Love of Las Vegas, NV, Stacy (David, Mitchell, Marshall) Pike of Colorado Springs, CO and Jeffrey (Jennifer) Mitchell of Montrose, CO; Anita’s children and grand-children: David, (Donna, Ashley, Joshua) Hayes of Lake Worth, FL and Debbie (Emily, John) Fudge of Harker Heights, TX; two aunts: Betty Sheneman of Loveland, CO and Marjorie Dixon of Omaha, NE; an uncle: Roger Long of Holbrook, NE; and many cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; his younger brother, Keith; his first wife, Linda; six aunts and five uncles. Per Harlan’s request, there will be no funeral services; however two memorial services will be held: one in Colorado Springs, CO (mid-June) and the other in Monticello, IL (August 6, 2017). In honor of his memory, donations may be made to any of the following: Southern Park County Fire Protection District Auxiliary, PO Box 11, Guffey, CO 80820-0011; Fremont Regional Hospice, 1439 Main St., Canon City, CO 81212; the diabetes, kidney disease or heart disease foundation of your choice.
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