Kenneth Ray Long
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Kenneth's obituary
It is with a heavy heart that we share that Kenneth Ray Long, aged 78, joined his ancestors on October 31, 2025.
Kenneth Ray Long was born in Bluefield, West Virginia on March 31, 1947, graduated from Cave Spring High School in Roanoke, Virginia in 1966, and spent his lengthy career in retail serving as a Conversion Specialist for Cotter & Company (True Value Hardware).
He is survived by his daughters, Barbara (Jeff) and Janis (Kristie);
his grandchildren, Ellory (Vernon), Peyton (Aaron), Hetty (Surafel), Sophie, Truman, Ryan, and Chance;
his sisters, Ruth, Shirley, Wanda (David), and Lovetta (Galen);
his ex-wife Lynn (Don);
and an extensive family of in-laws and nieces and nephews to whom he was always “Uncle Kenny;"
His two finches, whose names are too inappropriate to utter, will also miss him dearly.
He is reunited with and embraced by his parents, Gladys and Truman, his brothers, Larry and Bud (Anne), his sisters, Frances and Connie, and many friends and in-laws who were blessed to love and be loved by him.
In the days leading up to his passing, the nurses and doctors of Northside Cherokee Hospital took excellent care of him, making sure he was as comfortable as possible. The staff remarked at his indomitable spirit and powerful support system, as he was surrounded by many who cherished him.
Kenny was a talented painter, an avid gardener, and a gossip. He had a lot to say and was creative with the ways he expressed himself.
He was a golfer, a marathon runner, a cautious driver, and a slow talker - which is to say, he liked to take the scenic route through life.
He loved straight black coffee, Carolina peaches, and Roanoke Weenie Stand hot dogs.
He was a hard worker and preferred to keep those around him busy with household chores and yard work. He took great pride in his home and the efforts it took to make it a welcoming one. His neighbors knew Kenny’s door was always open.
He played oldies often, and in his sillier moods, you could catch him singing and dancing along.
He liked to sit outside and watch the birds feed on the seeds he provided.
He travelled to forty-nine U.S. states and could share a story with you from each of them.
His vocabulary was ambitious, often misusing big words. As it turns out, this trait can be inherented.
He liked to watch football from his blue corduroy recliner with the smell of pinto beans simmering from the slow cooker and a pack of Beach Nut chewing tobacco by his side.
He went through a bit of a Thai Chi phase, which was very endearing, and helped him immensely in the initial steps of recovery from a stroke in 2017.
His best feature was his laugh, though he would insist it was his hair.
In his younger days, he was a menace to his sisters and was always "up to no good.” They adored him for the comic relief he offered in a childhood that knew tragedy.
His life was storied, with imperfect chapters and many lessons learned.
If you were lucky enough to know him, then you likely knew much of this already. If you were lucky enough to know him, then I’m sure you will miss him dearly, as will the rest of us.
Rest in peace, Kenny. And thank you for being there, because you always were.
***Many thanks to Hetty Bishop for writing this lovely obituary.***
Kenny wished to be cremated and to have a celebration of life in Roanoke, Virginia. We will share details for that later. It will be in December.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that anyone wishing to make a donation in his name consider choosing an art classroom of your choice or one from this list in order to give young people the joy and meaning of expression through painting:
https://tinyurl.com/DonorsSup…
My daddy's paintings: https://www.facebook.com/kenn…
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