Lawrence R. Long

With family by his side, Lawrence Ray Long, Junction City, passed away on Wednesday, January 27 at Midland Care Hospice in Topeka. Lawrence died from complications associated with a fall.

Viewing will be held on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Johnson Funeral Home. Due to the current COVID-19 environment, the family will not be present. Social distancing and masks will be required. Services will be held on Wednesday, February 3, 2021, 10 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 804 N. Jefferson Street, Junction City, Kansas. Pastor Dirk Weiss will officiate. Burial will follow at the Dwight Cemetery.

Born on Easter Sunday, April 16, 1933, in eastern Geary county, Lawrence was the fourth of five children born to Ralph and Ada (Amthauer) Long.

When Lawrence was three years old, the family moved to California. A highlight of Lawrence's childhood, was being asked, along with his three brothers, to make an appearance in the movie "The Fighting Sullivans", which was being filmed in the area. The star of the movie, Anne Baxter, wanted to go fishing after a day of filming. Dad volunteered for duty! Anne caught fish, Lawrence was smitten.

At age 18, after living in California then Arkansas, Lawrence returned to rural Geary County, living with Uncle Alvin and Aunt Lucille Amthauer. During this time, he met the gal living up the road who would end up being his partner in marriage for 65+ years.

Lawrence worked for Beech Aircraft before being called up to serve in the Army during the Korean conflict. He finished his military career at Fort Riley. He returned to work for Beech Aircraft for a time before beginning a seventeen-year career with Goad Motors in Junction City. He left Goad Motors to accept a managerial position with Sherwin-Williams where he worked for eleven years. Lawrence retired as a self-employed wall paper hanger.

Lawrence had many interests including rattlesnake hunting; traveling; following Junction City high school sports; Kansas State football; collecting and categorizing pennies; gardening; hunting and fishing. He enjoyed mentoring young men while serving as a Boy Scout troop leader. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church; the Junction City Breakfast Optimist Club, where he was a past president; the Odd Fellows Lodge; the American Legion; the Eagles lodge and Disabled American Veterans.

On June 12, 1955 Lawrence and Helen Rapp were united in marriage in Dwight, Kansas. Of this union, two girls were born: Ruth Long Sanders and Patricia (Lynn) Jacobs all of Junction City.

Other survivors include grandchildren Chris (Megan) Jacobs of Shawnee and Jamie (Brandon) Roath of Olathe; two great grandchildren (and another on the way); one brother, Harvey Long and wife Barbara, Penn Valley, California; and sister-in-law, Irene (Arthur) Long, Santa Rosa, California.

Lawrence was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Richard and Arthur and sister, Margaret Accetturro.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Friends of Animals, PO Box 580, Junction City, KS 66441; First United Methodist Church, 804 N. Jefferson, Junction City; Junction City Breakfast Optimist Club, in care of Joe Handlos, 3318 Northwood Drive, Milford, KS 66514; or Midland Care Hospice, 200 SW Frazier Circle, Topeka, KS 66606.

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