Walter Edward “Eddie” and Rosemary Elizabeth Rose Erickson “Rosie” Long’s Obituary

Rosemary Elizabeth Rose Erickson Long passed away May 17th, 2024.

Beloved Wife of Walter Edward Long for 61 years. Loving Mother of three beautiful boys, Walter Eric “Big E” Long (deceased October 24, 2021), Christopher Scott Long, and Bryan Paul Long. Grandmother to five amazing Grandkids, Chancelor Philip Long, Christian Deveraux Long, Winston Alexander Long, Siena LindaRose Long, and Brendan Pearce Long. Aunt to Cheryl (Newton) Schmidt, Cindy (Newton) Hanstein, Karen (Bauer) Muckler, Kurt Bauer, the late Denise (Newton) Jouravel, the late Susan (Newton) Slyman, Angela (Long) Baryliski, and Jeffrey Long. Daughter of the late Sylvester and Rosemary Erickson. Sister of the late Mary Ann (Erickson) Newton, and the late Nancy (Erickson) Bauer.

Rosemary was born on a cold, apparently snowy Missouri day on Friday January 13th (yes Friday the 13th) 1939. The daughter of “Seargent Erickson” of the St. Louis Police Department, and youngest of three daughters, her early years growing up in South Saint Louis City, were fond memories of a time when growing up in a city was safe, simple and beautiful. She met and fell in love with Walter Edward in 1957, married in 1963 and remained a devoted “house” wife, and mother to her 3 rambunctious boys. Mom led a “simple” life during her adult years, yet she touched some many souls with her humble, loving and caring spirit and personality. She was a devoted Christian her entire life and her example of enduring, steadfast faith has touched so many she interacted with throughout her life. Her kind, loving spirit will be forever carried forward, by those she touched. Mom always believed God promised her “latter” days would be better than her former days, this promise has been kept and carried out in the lives of her children and grandchildren with whom her memory of unconditional love is carried forward. A great Servant of the Lord God has found her way home.

Walter Edward Long Passed away June 11th, 2024.

Beloved Husband of Rosemary Elizabeth Rose (Erickson) Long for 61 years. Loving Father of three beautiful boys, Walter Eric “Big E” Long (deceased October 24, 2021), Christopher Scott Long, and Bryan Paul Long. Grandfather to five amazing Grandkids, Chancelor Philip Long, Christian Deveraux Long, Winston Alexander Long, Siena Lindarose Long, and Brendan Pearce Long. Brother to John Roger Long. Uncle to Cheryl (Newton) Schmidt, Cindy (Newton) Hanstein, Karen (Bauer) Muckler, Kurt Bauer, the late Denise (Newton) Jouravel, the late Susan (Newton) Slyman, Angela (Long) Baryliski, and Jeffrey Long. Son of the late Walter Earl Long and Mary (Bennett) Long. Cousin to the Bennet and Mann Clans in Southern Missouri at the Black River (near Annapolis, MO) and the Long Clan in Northern Missouri (near Hannibal, Mo).

Walter “Edward” was born on October 14th 1938 in St. Louis, MO. Dad’s memories of growing up in South Saint Louis city during the great Depression / World War II years were fond. He often talked about hopping on street cars to go watch the St. Louis Browns games, then imitating them in the streets with the well known Stick Ball games that were popular in that era. His fondest childhood memories he spoke of were when his mom would take him and his brother “to the country” in and around the Black River near Annapolis, MO were her extended family all still resided. There he had multiple cousins that would explore everything that daily life in the beautiful southern Ozark country had to offer.

His quest and thirst for knowledge started at a very young age when he was officially branded “a nerd” by his peers, partially because he required Coke-Bottle Glasses to see at a very early age, but also because he displayed an extraordinary intelligence that served him his entire life. This thirst propelled him to graduate in the top of his high-school class at Roosevelt Highschool in 1957, he then went on to Harris Community College, before landing scholarships to attend the prestigious Washington University (in St. Louis) where he studied Electrical and Computer Engineering under his often mentioned Mentor Dr. JR Cox.

He enlisted in the US Air Force in April of 1961 and served in the Air Force Ready Reserve Unit until April of 1967, out of Scott Air Force Base, specializing in radio communications operations. This service to his country propelled his devotion to his country for the rest of his life, often talking fondly of his memories of his service life and never wavering in his devotion to the red, white, and blue.

In the summer of 1959 Dad “went out west” and volunteered at the Yellowstone National Park, working in the volunteer camps, servicing trails and such. This experience borne a love of the mountains and nature which he vehemently shared with his sons and grandkids throughout the rest of his entire life.

Upon graduating from Washington University, Dad went to work for McDonnel Douglas, in the heart of the “Space Race”. He became a self-taught Aeronautical Engineer, by buying aeronautical engineering books and studying them in the evenings. He along with his co-workers Stan Becker and Will Burgener, had the most unique opportunity to develop and work on the Mercury Procedures Trainer relay / servo mechanism and operation amplifiers for the NASA Mercury Space Program then later worked on the Gemini Mission Simulator of the Gemeni Space Program (both Mercury and Gemeni were predecessors to the Apollo Space Program). As he would so proudly tell the story throughout the rest of his life to his family and friends, “they had me working at Ellington Field in Houston training astronauts!!”

From then on, Dad eventually launched a successful career as a computer engineer for the Monstanto Corporation, where he worked on chemical plant process control systems at Monsanto. He became an expert at computer control systems. This expertise was the basis of his successful consulting business later on in life. He eventually retired from Monsanto at the early age of 50, in 1988.

He then went on to become a realtor, later on in life, at one point owning, operating, maintaining five different properties in the Florida Panhandle.

I think one of Dad’s greatest accomplishments was the fact that he single-handedly pulled his entire family out of poverty, by using the one gift God has given us above the animals, his brain. He quietly led by example and often took on challenges throughout his entire life that others thought impossible for him to achieve. Yet, with his workmen’s, practical, engineering mindset, he would solve complex problems and challenges, to the amazement of his friends and family. He was by many accounts (including many aptitude tests) a genius.

Dad was a life-long devoted Christian. Though through most of his life not much of a “Church going” type, he would read his bible and talk openly to anyone about his faith. His greatest Christian accomplishments came later in his life when attending Mel Bond’s church in Wentzville, MO, he would often “lay hands” on anyone in need of prayer and more times than not, those prayers were answered. He was a kind and gentle spirit and God-loving soul that after his wife and oldest Son passed on, found it hard to remain in this earthly realm. He has been reunited with his wife, oldest son and the rest of this kin folk, till we meet you in Heaven Dad / Pops / Walter “Eddie” Long, smile down upon us and put in some good words for us to the Man upstairs!!

Services: Celebration of Life, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Manchester. Thursday, July 3rd 11:00am. Interment PRIVATE. Memorial visitation at the church Thursday 10am until time of service. Family’s guestbook will be available for signing online (link here) also in person before and after the church service. In lieu of sending flowers, the family asks that you consider making a donation in Walter and Rosemary Long’s names to one of the following non-profit Organizations:

1. Missouri Mental Health Foundation (https://www.missourimhf.org/d…)

2. National Alliance on Mental Illness – Missouri (https://namimissouri.org/get-…)

3. Golf Foundation of Missouri (https://www.golffoundationofm…)

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