John Edward (Eddie) Long Sr.
John Edward (Eddie) Long Sr. (77) passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on May 16th, 2026 at Transitions HospiceCare in Cary, North Carolina. A Greensboro native, Eddie Sr. was born on January 15, 1949, to the late Shelly Long and Edna Long. If you knew Eddie Sr., you know that he deeply loved his family and took great pride in being the 4th of 10 children. He could often be found sharing childhood memories (with anyone who would listen) and his favorite stories involved the many shenanigans he got up to with his siblings.
Eddie Sr. graduated from Northeast Guilford High School in 1967, and was a postal clerk with the United States Postal Service for 46 years before retiring in 2021. During the Vietnam War, he enlisted and served honorably on the USS William M. Wood (DD 715), the same Navy ship as his two older brothers before him. Above all, his faith in God was most important to him, and he loved being a member of Gospel Baptist Church, volunteering as a Sunday School teacher, and helping with Vacation Bible School. Not only was he a loving husband, proud father, and exceptional Papa, he was an avid fisherman, former Boy Scout, expert storyteller, and mischievous jokester. He was often told he carried around a “golden horseshoe” because of his consistent luck playing cards, and he would make sure you knew it. He never knew a stranger, easily brightened every room he entered, and was the kind of person everyone could count on. The amount of love and laughter he brought to so many lives is truly special, unique, and irreplaceable.
He is survived in life by his loving wife of 55 years, Shirley P. Long; his brothers Michael Long and David Long (wife Terry); his sister Joyce Smith; his children Sandy Oakley (husband Anthony) and John Edward Long Jr.; granddaughters Kaitlyn Moore (husband Allen) and Morgan Oakley (fiancé Seth); and numerous beloved nieces, nephews and extended family. He was preceded in death by his father (Shelly Long), mother (Edna Long), brothers (Tommy Long, Allen Long, Charles Long and Jerry Long), and sisters (Elaine Long and Margaret Ritter).
In celebration of Eddie Sr.’s life, a Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, May 24, 2026 at 2:00pm at Gospel Baptist Church (5945 North Church Street, Greensboro, NC 27455). Immediately following the Service, there will be a Visitation in the church’s banquet hall. At this time the service scheduled for Sunday May 24, 2026 will be postponed due to a family emergency. Further details will come at a later time.
Eddie Sr.’s time in the Navy was always important to him, and he held all veterans in high esteem. We discovered the Veterans Memorial Reef organization, which honors veterans by interring their remains in a special capsule that is lowered into the sea to create an artificial reef off the coast of North Carolina. The reef is located five miles off the coast of Carolina Beach, supporting marine life and protecting the coastline. We believe this is the perfect place to lay him to rest, and we want to give anyone who would like to be a part of this the chance to contribute to this fund in lieu of flowers. Please see the link below for more information.
https://gofund.me/5e401796a
We thank you all for being such a wonderful part of his and our lives.