WANDA M. LONG, gracefully and peacefully stepped from this world into her Heavenly home on Monday, November 27, 2017, following a struggle with congestive heart failure and liver cancer. She was 87 years old and had been a resident at The Glade in Chillicothe, Ohio for the past 3-1/2 years. Prior to moving to Chillicothe, Wanda lived most of her adult life in Fayette County. She was born September 3, 1930, in Champaign County, Ohio, the daughter of Rev. George and Clara Kline. It was in this family atmosphere that her love of music and harmony was instilled. She sang and played the piano with family and friends at many churches, telling the story of Jesus.
Everyone who met Wanda knew that the passion of her life was loving God and teaching others about Him. This started at home and extended to everyone she met, even to moving across the United States to start a church in Tucson, Arizona with close family members and their young children. Over the years, she faithfully served Christ by teaching Sunday school, being a church elder and a bus captain, and visiting with those who were sick and unable to leave their homes. Wanda taught the love of Christ not just with words, but more importantly, with her life. Hers was a life of service and she acted not out of duty, but purely and completely out of the love Christ had placed in her heart. From Sunday dinners to Thanksgiving meals… she eagerly anticipated having people in her home and served not only food, but kindness and love. When macular degeneration took her eyesight and she could no longer cook or read her Bible, she gracefully accepted this new way of life, listening to the Bible on CDs and giving instruction to family members who wanted to know the best way to make noodles, donuts or vegetable soup.
On March 2, 1950, Wanda married the love of her life, Harold Long. They enjoyed 60 years of marriage together. Wanda loved bookkeeping and was able to use this skill while working in Harold’s real estate and auctioneering business as well as at the local Steen’s Department Store. She retired in 1992, having been a bookkeeper in the Fayette County Auditor’s Office for ten years.
Wanda was a member of Heritage Memorial Church and also attended Brookside Church in Chillicothe, Ohio.
Wanda was preceded in death by her daughter, Rosemary (Lawhun), in 1995, and by her husband, Harold, in 2010. She is survived by daughters, Linda (Don) Cozad and Susan (George) Jones along with grandchildren Aimee Rumer, Heidi Rumer, Mandy (Brad) Fessler, Dawn (Ronnie) Grim, Luke Jones, and Grant (Carly) Jones. She is also survived by great-grandchildren Canaan and Caraline Williamson, Landen Johnson, Gaven, Callynne, and Addelynne Cockerill, Avreigh Collie, JoAnna Fessler, Shiloh, Gabe, Titus and Ezra Grim, and one great-great-grandchild, Delailah Rose Johnson. Wanda’s sister, Monabell Delawder, of Washington Court House, and sister-in-law, Ledie Kline, of Chillicothe, also survive and were her two best friends whom she cherished dearly. She leaves behind numerous loving relatives and friends.
The family wishes to thank National Church Residences Staff and Hospice Care Team for their service.
Arrangements are under the direction of Summers Funeral Home. Calling hours will be held at Heritage Memorial Church, 1867 U.S. Route 35 NW, Washington Court House, on Saturday, December 2, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, with the service immediately following. Rev. Joy Stanforth, Rev. Phil Conrad, and Rev. David Dean will be officiating. Interment will be at the Fairview Cemetery in Jeffersonville.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Donations to Art Minors, Inc., PO BOX 6178, Chillicothe, OH, 45601.
Online condolences may be sent to www.summersfuneralhome.com