Billy Gene Long

Billy was born September 18, 1930 in Tulsa. He was a proud Native American of the Muscogee Creek Nation. He grew up in Sapulpa, Oklahoma where he was an all-around athlete and a Golden Gloves champion. He attended Miami Junior College, married his high school sweetheart and joined the Air Force in 1951. He was stationed throughout the United States, served in Vietnam and retired as Master Sergeant at Keesler AFB after 26 years of service. He also retired from the National Park Service after 14 years as a boat captain and also dabbled in sales for Western Associates Specialty Advertising. He was a lifetime Southern Baptist. Bill was an avid mechanic, loved tinkering and never found a project he couldn't fix. He is preceded in death by his parents, Wathla Jesse Long and Carrie Parkinson. Billy is survived by his wife of 65 years, Nina Lu Long; daughters, Linda (Craig) Wright, Jeanna (Ron) Puett, Stacy (Carl) Clark; sons, Billy Jr. (Marianne) Long and Michael (Gail) Long; sisters, Ramona Smith, Lou Thomas and brother, Wathla Jesse Long, Jr.; 13 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. A military memorial service will be held Friday, December 9, 2016 at Biloxi National Cemetery at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Gulf Islands National Seashore of Ocean Springs, in Billy's name. The Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home is in charge.