Thomas E. Long, Sr.

Thomas Edward Long, Sr. was born June 6, 1940 in Middletown, Ohio to Ruth and Courtney Long. He joined the United States Army on June 6, 1957. On September 23, 1957 he was deployed to Little Rock, Arkansas with the 101st Airborne to desegregate Central High School on the orders of President Eisenhower. He was later stationed in Germany. In 1960 he was deployed to Southeast Asia near Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

After his discharge he lived in Evansville, Indiana where he met and married Sharon Patmore. They had two children, Jackie and Tom, Jr. He worked for Whirlpool for a time and then decided to put his GI Bill to good use. He attended and graduated the University of Evansville for his liberal arts degree and Ball State for his Master's in Education.

He moved to Florida in 1979 and began his career in the Palm Beach County school system. His first teaching assignment in Florida was Lakeshore Middle School as a social studies teacher. He then moved to Lake Worth Junior High. He was promoted to Assistant Principal at Lantana Middle School. In 1996 he had the privilege of overseeing the construction of Woodlands Middle School and be the Assistant Principal for ten years until his retirement in 2005.

In August 1987 he met Marylou Migliore. They were engaged by November 1987 and married February 1988 at the Royal Poinciana Chapel in Palm Beach.

After retirement Tom became an active member of the Vogel Lee American Legion Post 47 in Lake Worth.

Tom is predeceased by his parents, two brothers, David and Danny Adkins and sister-in-law, Marianna Imbrieco.

He is survived by his wife of 33 years Marylou, daughter Jackie (Greg) Smith and son Thomas (Natalia) Long, Jr. Grandchildren Luis Steve Rivas, Katherine Long, Andrew Smith, Matthew Smith, Allison Smith, Sabrina Smith and Rebekah Smith. Brother-in-laws, Philip Imbrieco and Patrick Migliore, nieces Lindsay Adkins and Chrissy Imbrieco. Grandnephew Jonathan Lagana and grandnieces Gabriella and Samantha Lagana.

The family will receive friends from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, May 1, 2021 at Tillman Funeral Home & Crematory, 2170 South Military Trail, West Palm Beach, Florida. Inurnment with Military Honors will take place at 9:00 AM on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth, Florida. Please assemble in Lane # 1 by 8:45 AM if attending services at the cemetery on Wednesday.