Laurence Graves (Larry) Long

Duck – Commander Laurence Graves (Larry) Long USN (Ret.), 72, of Duck, North Carolina, died on November 29, 2014 at the Outer Banks Hospital in Nags Head, North Carolina.

Larry was born November 4, 1942, in Salina, Kansas, the first of five children of Harrison Kenneth Long, Sr. and Opal Graves Long. Larry graduated from Salina High School and the University of Kansas before attending the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, where he completed a Masters of Business Administration.

Larry married his high school sweetheart, Shirley Schneider, in 1964 in Salina. Larry served as an active duty officer in the United States Navy during the war in Vietnam. During his Navy career, Larry served on the USS Radford, the USS Vesole, and held command of the USS Reclaimer (ARS-42) based in Pearl Harbor. He also served in command of river boat patrols on the Mekong Delta.  After 20 years of service, Larry retired from the U.S. Navy. He continued to work as a civilian consultant in the Pentagon and for Booz, Allen and Hamilton in Washington, DC. Larry and Shirley moved to their beach home in Duck, North Carolina to enjoy retirement and the ocean Larry loved. Larry will be long remembered through his love of music. He was an accomplished trombonist and avid audiophile.

Larry is survived by his wife, Shirley Schneider Long, his children Lisa Long Keady and her husband, John Keady, of Reston, Virginia, David Laurence Long and his wife, Gitte Cahoon Long, and their children, Hannah and Zachary, of Ashburn, Virginia. Larry is also survived by his mother, Opal Graves Long of Colorado Springs, CO and his siblings and their families, Harrison K. Long, Jr. and Christi Long of Irvine, CA, John Randal Long and Carol Long of Evanston, IL, Judy Long O’Neal of Lawrence, Kansas, and Jan Marie Long of Lenexa, Kansas. Larry was preceded in death by his father, Harrison Kenneth Long, Sr., who died in 1955. Larry is also survived by many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews across the country. For many members of his family, Larry was personal hero, perfect beach host and beloved friend.

In accordance with his own wishes, Larry’s body was gifted to science through the Duke University Medical Center, North Carolina. Plans for a memorial service will be announced at a later date.
The family suggests memorials in Larry’s name to the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association.

Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.gallopfuneralservices.com