Benny Long

Benny Frank Long of Bastrop, TX was born September 16, 1949 in Laredo, Texas and left this earthly life for eternal life with his Lord Jesus on January 4, 2013 at the age of 63 years 3 months 14 days. He was preceded in death by his father Clyde Clem Long in 1972 and his mother Myrtle Harris Long in 2009. Benny is survived by aunts and uncles, many cousins and numerous loyal friends.

Benny lived in Mirando City in South Texas where his Dad owned the OK Café and his mother taught Junior High and High School. His family moved to Bastrop in 1959. When Benny was 14 years old, he accepted Jesus and joined the Baptist Church. It was at that time he began to sing and play the guitar.

After Benny graduated from Bastrop High School in 1967, he went to Blinn College and Texas A&I University earning degrees in secondary education and journalism. He taught school from 1972-1997 in Bastrop, Sommerset, Pearsall, Dilley and LaGrange. After teaching, Ben worked at HEB until 2004 when he became the full-time caregiver to his mother until her death in 2009. After his mother’s death, he took several long trips before working with the Rail Crew Express until his cancer diagnosis last year.

As many of you know, Benny enjoyed music, playing his guitar and singing in various venues around Bastrop. Benny loved history and had a special gift of remembering details. If you had the opportunity to talk to him about past or present Bastropians, family members or those he worked with during his life, you enjoyed a real treat as he shared his wealth of knowledge about people and places.

The funeral service for Benny Long will be conducted by The Rev. Lisa S. Hines, Rector of Calvary Episcopal Church at 10am on January 14th at Calvary Episcopal Church located at 603 Spring Street in Bastrop. Inurnment will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Bastrop. Memorial Donations can be made to Calvary Episcopal and mailed to P.O. Box 72