John Paul Long

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John Paul Long, 72, Belvue, KS passed away Thursday, April 5, 2018 at his home.

  John was born April 6, 1945 in rural Smith County, Kansas to Jay William and Mayme Margaret (Cunningham) Long.  John was the youngest of five children.  He attended school at Green Valley, a one-room country school in Smith County, and Lebanon (KS) High School where he was valedictorian of his class. John received his BS in Electrical Engineering at Kansas State University in January 1968.  He married Michelle Healy on August 24, 1968. Having accepted a position as a member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, John’s post-graduate education was sponsored by the US government and he decided to attend Stanford University, achieving a MS in Electrical Engineering the following year. He spent his entire career of 43 years at Sandia Labs retiring on November 4, 2010. John felt a strong personal commitment toward Sandia’s mission of developing advanced technologies to ensure global peace.

  John loved hiking in the mountains of northern NM and southern CO, camping, photography, astronomy, therapeutic massage, was a back-yard blacksmith and an amateur radio operator. He sought to learn as much as possible about the world around him and to share his knowledge with others. John had a passion for encouraging and developing a love of learning, especially science and engineering, in young people. He wanted all students, to the extent of their abilities, to attend college and worked with kids he knew to cultivate their interest in pursuing a degree and awareness of what opportunities universities, especially K-State, offered.  After retirement he moved to Wamego, Kansas with his wife Michelle.  He assisted in the day to day operations of the Wamego Senior and Community Center and served multiple times as President of the Wamego Area Senior Association.  He also served as a board member to the North Central Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging and was the Silver-Haired Legislator for Pottawatomie County.

  John’s faith was a central part of his life, as a youth attending Oak Creek Christian Church in Smith County, KS.  In New Mexico, John and Michelle attended Los Altos Christian Church and then First United Methodist Church of Albuquerque where he and his family were active participants in its music ministry. After retirement, John and Michelle joined Wamego First United Methodist Church where they sang in the Chancel Choir and served in the music ministry at Awana.  John’s convictions as a Christian were evident in his words and actions daily.

  John was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Nola Bess Atwood; two brothers, Robert and Warren; a brother-in-law, Marion Atwood; a niece Nancy Long; and nephews Grady Carl and Nicholas Walters.

  He is survived by his wife Michelle, of the home; two sons, Matthew (Meghan) of Mt. Ayr, IA, and Brian (Tara) of Tonganoxie, KS; two granddaughters, Marilee and Maven; a brother William (Dorothy); three sister-in-laws, Marlene Long, Sharlyn Long, and Barbara Walters (Jim); a brother-in-law Frank Healy (Connie); and numerous nieces and nephews.

  Memorial service for John will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 12, 2018 at the Wamego First United Methodist Church.  Visitation will be from 5:30 -7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 11^th at the Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego.  In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested memorials the Wamego First United Methodist Church and the Wamego Senior Center, and may be left in care of Stewart Funeral Home, PO Box 48, Wamego, KS 66547.