Clifton Wright Long

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Clifton Wright Long

Birth
Texline, Dallam County, Texas, USA
Death
21 Jun 2007 (aged 88)
Amarillo, Potter County, Texas, USA
Burial
Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Clifton Wright Long, 88, of Amarillo died Thursday, June 21, 2007.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors Ivy Chapel, 2800 Paramount Blvd., with the Rev. Lynn Garrett, associate pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Forest Park Cemetery, Shreveport, La.

Mr. Long was born April 24, 1919, in Texline and grew up and lived most of his life in Texas and Oklahoma. He moved to Amarillo from Shreveport in 2003 during his retirement to live near his son, granddaughter and brother.

Mr. Long graduated from Pioneer High School, near Chickasha, Okla., in 1938. He met Hulane Iona Williams in Chickasha, where they were married in the parlor of First Baptist Church on Jan. 21, 1940.

Mr. Long entered the retail business with S.H. Kress Co. in Chickasha in 1939, and then joined TG&Y Stores in 1941. He remained with TG&Y managing variety stores in Clinton, Cordell and Norman, Okla., until 1952, when he left to open a partnership in a variety store in Vernon. In 1954, Mr. Long entered the life insurance business as an agent and district manager in Wichita Falls for the American National Life Insurance Co. He joined Century Life Insurance Co. in 1957 and moved his family to Lawton, Okla., where he was district manager. In 1962 he moved to the Century Life home office in Fort Worth to become vice president and agency director. In 1969, he joined the World Service Life Insurance Co. in Fort Worth as vice president. He moved to Shreveport in 1975, where he worked for 10 years as president, director, vice chairman and later chairman of the board for the Savings Life Insurance Co. of Louisiana, and as director and vice president of AMI Inc. of Shreveport. During his time with Savings Life and AMI, he was instrumental in the corporate management of several insurance holding companies and subsidiaries. In 1985, he co-founded Credit Life Investment Co. in Shreveport, a holding company which purchased all of the life insurance companies previously owned by AMI. By the time he retired in 2000, Cliff Long was serving as president, director or chairman of the board for nine holding and insurance companies in Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma.

Mr. Long endured personal and family hardships early in life when his father left the home, leaving his mother to raise two young boys during the Depression years. His mother and grandparents were devout Southern Baptists who struggled to hold the rest of the family together when there were few jobs and all they had was a strong faith in their Lord Jesus Christ. The experience made him strong and determined to succeed, as evidenced by his climb to the top of the insurance corporate world without ever having attended college. He also resolved to never let his family live in poverty as he once had. He and Mrs. Long raised three children, and later cared for his mother in her advanced years. Their children grew up enjoying the wisdom, guidance and love of their father, something he never had as a child. After they were grown he continued to bless their lives, as well as the lives of his stepson, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Long died in Shreveport in March 1985 after 44 years of marriage. Mr. Long married Ellen Eaves in November 1986. Their marriage lasted until her death in 1994.

Survivors include two sons, Donald K. Long of Amarillo, and Jon S. Long and wife Laveta of Lawton; a daughter, Jane E. Aldrin of Midland; a stepson, Thomas C. Eaves and wife Celeste of Houston; a brother, George S. Long of Amarillo; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and three stepgrandchildren.

The family suggests memorials be made to the VistaCare Hospice, 7116 W. Interstate 40, Building C, Suite B, Amarillo, TX 79106.

Amarillo Globe-News, June 24, 2007

Clifton Wright Long, 88, of Amarillo died Thursday, June 21, 2007.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors Ivy Chapel, 2800 Paramount Blvd., with the Rev. Lynn Garrett, associate pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Forest Park Cemetery, Shreveport, La.

Mr. Long was born April 24, 1919, in Texline and grew up and lived most of his life in Texas and Oklahoma. He moved to Amarillo from Shreveport in 2003 during his retirement to live near his son, granddaughter and brother.

Mr. Long graduated from Pioneer High School, near Chickasha, Okla., in 1938. He met Hulane Iona Williams in Chickasha, where they were married in the parlor of First Baptist Church on Jan. 21, 1940.

Mr. Long entered the retail business with S.H. Kress Co. in Chickasha in 1939, and then joined TG&Y Stores in 1941. He remained with TG&Y managing variety stores in Clinton, Cordell and Norman, Okla., until 1952, when he left to open a partnership in a variety store in Vernon. In 1954, Mr. Long entered the life insurance business as an agent and district manager in Wichita Falls for the American National Life Insurance Co. He joined Century Life Insurance Co. in 1957 and moved his family to Lawton, Okla., where he was district manager. In 1962 he moved to the Century Life home office in Fort Worth to become vice president and agency director. In 1969, he joined the World Service Life Insurance Co. in Fort Worth as vice president. He moved to Shreveport in 1975, where he worked for 10 years as president, director, vice chairman and later chairman of the board for the Savings Life Insurance Co. of Louisiana, and as director and vice president of AMI Inc. of Shreveport. During his time with Savings Life and AMI, he was instrumental in the corporate management of several insurance holding companies and subsidiaries. In 1985, he co-founded Credit Life Investment Co. in Shreveport, a holding company which purchased all of the life insurance companies previously owned by AMI. By the time he retired in 2000, Cliff Long was serving as president, director or chairman of the board for nine holding and insurance companies in Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma.

Mr. Long endured personal and family hardships early in life when his father left the home, leaving his mother to raise two young boys during the Depression years. His mother and grandparents were devout Southern Baptists who struggled to hold the rest of the family together when there were few jobs and all they had was a strong faith in their Lord Jesus Christ. The experience made him strong and determined to succeed, as evidenced by his climb to the top of the insurance corporate world without ever having attended college. He also resolved to never let his family live in poverty as he once had. He and Mrs. Long raised three children, and later cared for his mother in her advanced years. Their children grew up enjoying the wisdom, guidance and love of their father, something he never had as a child. After they were grown he continued to bless their lives, as well as the lives of his stepson, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Long died in Shreveport in March 1985 after 44 years of marriage. Mr. Long married Ellen Eaves in November 1986. Their marriage lasted until her death in 1994.

Survivors include two sons, Donald K. Long of Amarillo, and Jon S. Long and wife Laveta of Lawton; a daughter, Jane E. Aldrin of Midland; a stepson, Thomas C. Eaves and wife Celeste of Houston; a brother, George S. Long of Amarillo; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and three stepgrandchildren.

The family suggests memorials be made to the VistaCare Hospice, 7116 W. Interstate 40, Building C, Suite B, Amarillo, TX 79106.

Amarillo Globe-News, June 24, 2007