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Barbara Ann (Prickett) Long died at Mercy Heart Hospital in Oklahoma City on Thursday, August 22, 2019. She was eighty-nine years old.
Barbara was born March 8,1930, on a farm near Watonga, Oklahoma, to Arnold Julius and Fern (Neal) Prickett. She had one lovely sister, Helen “Buck” Prickett Pope. The family moved to Canton when Barbara was in first grade. She graduated from Canton High School in 1948 and was married that same summer to Cletus Long. They lived in Weatherford while Cletus went to pharmacy school. After he finished school, they moved to Iowa for two years and then settled in Canton. Cletus and Barbara had three children: Steven Mark, Alan Anthony “Tony,” and Melanie Jane.
Once the children were all in school, Barbara went to Southwestern Oklahoma State, where she graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor degree in Music. She later got her master’s in Education and started work on a PhD in English from Oklahoma State.
She taught school at Longdale and Canton Schools before taking a job with Western Oklahoma State College (WOSC) in Altus. After many years of teaching, she retired as the WOSC Director of Public Information.
Barbara liked to stay busy and had many interests and hobbies. She loved antiques and has probably been to at least one antique store in every state (much to the chagrin of the family). She also loved to play bridge, read, and go to the opera. She learned to cut stained glass and also did needlepoint. But, shopping for clothes (and especially shoes) was always what turned a bad day into a perfect one!
While Barbara was an accomplished teacher and researcher, her family thought she should have been in politics. She was an avid viewer of Fox News and considered herself a patriotic and proud American. Everyone thought she was joking, but she really did have the White House on speed dial!
Barbara was a generous individual who pushed her children and grandchildren to excel academically and professionally. She strove for perfection and was a hard worker. Alongside her son Tony, Barbara helped start the Grand Arts Council, which was responsible for the restoration of the Grand Theatre in Canton. She wrote a weekly article in the Canton Times for several years called “Grand Old Memories.” It was a walk down memory lane for many in the area.
A breast cancer survivor, Barbara pressed through life with a fierce thirst to live life fully. She was never one to shy away from responsibility and instilled the phrase “if it is to be, it’s up to me” in her children and grandchildren. She could walk into a room, and without saying a word, make a statement.
Barbara is survived by her daughter, Melanie Long Gray of Edmond; son, Steven Long of Stillwater; sister, Helen “Buck” Pope of San Angelo, Texas; seven grandchildren; two great grandchildren; and numerous beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and friends. She is preceded in death by her husband Cletus Long and son, Alan “Tony” Long.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, August 26, 2019 at the Canton United Methodist Church with Pastor Daniel Hammans officiating. Interment will follow in Canton Cemetery under the direction of Pierce Funeral Home, Canton. Condolences may be made online at www.piercefuneralhomes.com.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, August 26, 2019, at the Canton United Methodist Church.
Interment will follow in Canton Cemetery. Condolences may be made online at www.piercefuneralhomes.com.
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