Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Mr. Edwin Wayne Long, 82, of Mocksville, passed away in the early hours on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home in Winston-Salem.

He was born Oct. 14, 1941 in Shelby, NC to the late Walter Herbert and Margaret Susan Spake Long.

Mr. Long graduated from No. 3 Township High School where he was a class officer, president of the student council, voted most popular boy in the senior class, co-captain of the basketball team, and received the Babe Ruth Award for baseball. He played shortstop on the Shelby American Legion Baseball Team. When he continued his education at Clemson University, he had a part-time job to help pay for college costs, so he was limited in having time to participate in extracurricular activities, but he did manage to be the top judge on Clemson’s Livestock Judging Team. After graduation, he joined the National Guard and attended Leadership School during his 6 months of active duty. Holly Farms Poultry Industry, now Tyson Foods, hired him immediately after his military duty and he worked for them 26 years, enjoying many opportunities for worldwide travel during that time. Later he worked for Coble Dairy and Star Milling Company until his retirement in 2004. In his remaining years he enjoyed golf, helping his neighbors, and tackling the honey do list for his wife and daughter. He was a Mason, Shriner, and Scottish Rite member. He was a member at First United Methodist Church in Mocksville.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Hugh and Max Long.

Survivors include: his wife of almost 58 years, Anita Patterson Long; daughter, Julia Long; sister, Rachel Smith; his much loved nieces and nephews; and he was honorary “uncle papaw” to his grand nephews, David, Jonathan, and Stephen Loy.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 28 at First United Methodist Church in Mocksville, with Rev. Lori Anne Bowen and Rev. Mark Loy officiating. The family invites friends for a time of visitation after the service.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to: Shriners Hospital for Children, 950 W. Faris Road, Greenville, SC 29605; or First UMC, 310 N. Main St., Mocksville, NC 27028.

Online condolences: www.lambertfuneralhomenc.com.