Born on August 8th, 1923 in Lansing, Taylor Township, Allamakee County, Iowa. Mom's mother was Juanita Opal Reams, later to become Redington. Her biological father was Charles Harold Brannon.
I have my mother's original birth certificate, which lists my Grandmother Juanita as her mother and Charles Brannon as her father. They weren't married however.
My mother was the product of a sexual assault.
Back in the 1920's, there would have been much shame and embarrassment brought on the family because of this violation of my Grandmother, like it was her fault. A respectable woman kept her virtue in tact. So the family kept it all a secret. Charles Brannon was never arrested and my Grandmother had the child of her attacker.
My Grandmother Juanita was 17 years old at this time, and so my Great Grandparents took the baby Lois Maxine as their own. I don't know who took care of my mother as a newborn, as she isn't listed in the 1925 Iowa State Census. I have always thought it was perhaps one of my Great Aunts. I will never know.
You won't find her in the United States Federal Census however, until 1930, living in the household of her grandparents, R.Z. Clements and Mary Etta Clements, in that census she is "Maxene Reams", and she is also listed as their daughter.
My mother continued to stay with and be raised by my Great Grandparents (R.Z. Clements was Mary Etta's 2nd husband; her first husband was Allen Reams); why you ask?
My Grandmother Juanita had met a man that wanted to marry her as long as her "indiscretion" wasn't around. As if it were my mother's fault. This however was the mindset back in 1930's Iowa.
Then what added insult to injury is my Grandmother Juanita and her husband Pierce (Hollister Pierce Redington) had a child, a son, my mother's half brother, Earl Arthur "Sonny" Redington.
I can't imagine the shame and torment of my mother. Not being able to live with and grow up with her own mother and not knowing why for years. The one blessing that came from this however is my mother was loved so much by my Great Grandparents, so she was happy there. She told me many stories of gardening with her grandmother and of the rooster that would always chase her going to school and coming back home.
Mom's first marriage was to Quentin Jay "Bud" Riley in September 1942. They divorced in about 1947. She had a son with him, my brother, Quinn Jake Riley, who passed away April 6, 2018 in Rockford, Illinois.
She then married my father, LeRoy Long in 1952 in Raton, New Mexico.
Mom had four more children, one ending in a miscarriage. Our family owned a tavern in Colorado Springs on the West Side (now people call it Old Colorado City) called "Red's Place" on Colorado Avenue. Mom tended bar. They later sold it and it became Danny Roger's tavern.
After that, Mom worked at Henri's Mexican Foods, 2427 West Colorado Avenue, for many years, also on the West Side. Now it's called "Jorge's".
Her last job was working at the Snow White Laundry facility at 25th and Colorado Avenue.
My precious, sweet mother died on July 23, 1997 at Penrose Main Hospital in Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado, from aspiration pneumonia after surgery for a broken hip. I miss her so much. She sacrificed so much for us kids and we didn't appreciate it much at the time but I will be forever in her debt.
*Granddaughter Sheree Michelle Zalen is buried in Fairview Cemetery as well.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
From the Gazette, July 25, 1997:
LOIS ''MAXINE'' LONG, 73, died July 23, 1997, in Colorado Springs. She worked for Henri's Mexican Restaurant and Snow White Laundry.
Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Blunt Mortuary Chapel, 2229 W. Colorado Ave., with the Rev. Curtis A. Blair officiating.
Mrs. Long was born Aug. 8, 1923, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Charles and Juanita (Reams) Brannon.
She was married for more than 50 years to LeRoy Long, who lives in Colorado Springs.
She also is survived by a son, Douglas of Fairplay; two daughters, Carol Young of Greeley and Pat Spurlin of Colorado Springs; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Mrs. Long was an avid Broncos fan.
Memorial contributions may be made to Silver Key Senior Services, 2250 Bott Ave., Colorado Springs 80904.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
You can only have one mother
Patient kind and true;
No other friend in all the world,
Will be the same to you.
When other friends forsake you,
To mother you will return,
For all her loving kindness,
She asks nothing in return.
As we look upon her picture,
Sweet memories we recall,
Of a face so full of sunshine,
And a smile for one and all.
Sweet Jesus, take this message,
To our dear mother up above;
Tell her how we miss her,
And give her all our love.
- Irish Funeral Prayer
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I have my mother's original birth certificate, which lists my Grandmother Juanita as her mother and Charles Brannon as her father. They weren't married however.
My mother was the product of a sexual assault.
Back in the 1920's, there would have been much shame and embarrassment brought on the family because of this violation of my Grandmother, like it was her fault. A respectable woman kept her virtue in tact. So the family kept it all a secret. Charles Brannon was never arrested and my Grandmother had the child of her attacker.
My Grandmother Juanita was 17 years old at this time, and so my Great Grandparents took the baby Lois Maxine as their own. I don't know who took care of my mother as a newborn, as she isn't listed in the 1925 Iowa State Census. I have always thought it was perhaps one of my Great Aunts. I will never know.
You won't find her in the United States Federal Census however, until 1930, living in the household of her grandparents, R.Z. Clements and Mary Etta Clements, in that census she is "Maxene Reams", and she is also listed as their daughter.
My mother continued to stay with and be raised by my Great Grandparents (R.Z. Clements was Mary Etta's 2nd husband; her first husband was Allen Reams); why you ask?
My Grandmother Juanita had met a man that wanted to marry her as long as her "indiscretion" wasn't around. As if it were my mother's fault. This however was the mindset back in 1930's Iowa.
Then what added insult to injury is my Grandmother Juanita and her husband Pierce (Hollister Pierce Redington) had a child, a son, my mother's half brother, Earl Arthur "Sonny" Redington.
I can't imagine the shame and torment of my mother. Not being able to live with and grow up with her own mother and not knowing why for years. The one blessing that came from this however is my mother was loved so much by my Great Grandparents, so she was happy there. She told me many stories of gardening with her grandmother and of the rooster that would always chase her going to school and coming back home.
Mom's first marriage was to Quentin Jay "Bud" Riley in September 1942. They divorced in about 1947. She had a son with him, my brother, Quinn Jake Riley, who passed away April 6, 2018 in Rockford, Illinois.
She then married my father, LeRoy Long in 1952 in Raton, New Mexico.
Mom had four more children, one ending in a miscarriage. Our family owned a tavern in Colorado Springs on the West Side (now people call it Old Colorado City) called "Red's Place" on Colorado Avenue. Mom tended bar. They later sold it and it became Danny Roger's tavern.
After that, Mom worked at Henri's Mexican Foods, 2427 West Colorado Avenue, for many years, also on the West Side. Now it's called "Jorge's".
Her last job was working at the Snow White Laundry facility at 25th and Colorado Avenue.
My precious, sweet mother died on July 23, 1997 at Penrose Main Hospital in Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado, from aspiration pneumonia after surgery for a broken hip. I miss her so much. She sacrificed so much for us kids and we didn't appreciate it much at the time but I will be forever in her debt.
*Granddaughter Sheree Michelle Zalen is buried in Fairview Cemetery as well.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
From the Gazette, July 25, 1997:
LOIS ''MAXINE'' LONG, 73, died July 23, 1997, in Colorado Springs. She worked for Henri's Mexican Restaurant and Snow White Laundry.
Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Blunt Mortuary Chapel, 2229 W. Colorado Ave., with the Rev. Curtis A. Blair officiating.
Mrs. Long was born Aug. 8, 1923, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Charles and Juanita (Reams) Brannon.
She was married for more than 50 years to LeRoy Long, who lives in Colorado Springs.
She also is survived by a son, Douglas of Fairplay; two daughters, Carol Young of Greeley and Pat Spurlin of Colorado Springs; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Mrs. Long was an avid Broncos fan.
Memorial contributions may be made to Silver Key Senior Services, 2250 Bott Ave., Colorado Springs 80904.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
You can only have one mother
Patient kind and true;
No other friend in all the world,
Will be the same to you.
When other friends forsake you,
To mother you will return,
For all her loving kindness,
She asks nothing in return.
As we look upon her picture,
Sweet memories we recall,
Of a face so full of sunshine,
And a smile for one and all.
Sweet Jesus, take this message,
To our dear mother up above;
Tell her how we miss her,
And give her all our love.
- Irish Funeral Prayer
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Born on August 8th, 1923 in Lansing, Taylor Township, Allamakee County, Iowa. Mom's mother was Juanita Opal Reams, later to become Redington. Her biological father was Charles Harold Brannon.
I have my mother's original birth certificate, which lists my Grandmother Juanita as her mother and Charles Brannon as her father. They weren't married however.
My mother was the product of a sexual assault.
Back in the 1920's, there would have been much shame and embarrassment brought on the family because of this violation of my Grandmother, like it was her fault. A respectable woman kept her virtue in tact. So the family kept it all a secret. Charles Brannon was never arrested and my Grandmother had the child of her attacker.
My Grandmother Juanita was 17 years old at this time, and so my Great Grandparents took the baby Lois Maxine as their own. I don't know who took care of my mother as a newborn, as she isn't listed in the 1925 Iowa State Census. I have always thought it was perhaps one of my Great Aunts. I will never know.
You won't find her in the United States Federal Census however, until 1930, living in the household of her grandparents, R.Z. Clements and Mary Etta Clements, in that census she is "Maxene Reams", and she is also listed as their daughter.
My mother continued to stay with and be raised by my Great Grandparents (R.Z. Clements was Mary Etta's 2nd husband; her first husband was Allen Reams); why you ask?
My Grandmother Juanita had met a man that wanted to marry her as long as her "indiscretion" wasn't around. As if it were my mother's fault. This however was the mindset back in 1930's Iowa.
Then what added insult to injury is my Grandmother Juanita and her husband Pierce (Hollister Pierce Redington) had a child, a son, my mother's half brother, Earl Arthur "Sonny" Redington.
I can't imagine the shame and torment of my mother. Not being able to live with and grow up with her own mother and not knowing why for years. The one blessing that came from this however is my mother was loved so much by my Great Grandparents, so she was happy there. She told me many stories of gardening with her grandmother and of the rooster that would always chase her going to school and coming back home.
Mom's first marriage was to Quentin Jay "Bud" Riley in September 1942. They divorced in about 1947. She had a son with him, my brother, Quinn Jake Riley, who passed away April 6, 2018 in Rockford, Illinois.
She then married my father, LeRoy Long in 1952 in Raton, New Mexico.
Mom had four more children, one ending in a miscarriage. Our family owned a tavern in Colorado Springs on the West Side (now people call it Old Colorado City) called "Red's Place" on Colorado Avenue. Mom tended bar. They later sold it and it became Danny Roger's tavern.
After that, Mom worked at Henri's Mexican Foods, 2427 West Colorado Avenue, for many years, also on the West Side. Now it's called "Jorge's".
Her last job was working at the Snow White Laundry facility at 25th and Colorado Avenue.
My precious, sweet mother died on July 23, 1997 at Penrose Main Hospital in Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado, from aspiration pneumonia after surgery for a broken hip. I miss her so much. She sacrificed so much for us kids and we didn't appreciate it much at the time but I will be forever in her debt.
*Granddaughter Sheree Michelle Zalen is buried in Fairview Cemetery as well.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
From the Gazette, July 25, 1997:
LOIS ''MAXINE'' LONG, 73, died July 23, 1997, in Colorado Springs. She worked for Henri's Mexican Restaurant and Snow White Laundry.
Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Blunt Mortuary Chapel, 2229 W. Colorado Ave., with the Rev. Curtis A. Blair officiating.
Mrs. Long was born Aug. 8, 1923, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Charles and Juanita (Reams) Brannon.
She was married for more than 50 years to LeRoy Long, who lives in Colorado Springs.
She also is survived by a son, Douglas of Fairplay; two daughters, Carol Young of Greeley and Pat Spurlin of Colorado Springs; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Mrs. Long was an avid Broncos fan.
Memorial contributions may be made to Silver Key Senior Services, 2250 Bott Ave., Colorado Springs 80904.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
You can only have one mother
Patient kind and true;
No other friend in all the world,
Will be the same to you.
When other friends forsake you,
To mother you will return,
For all her loving kindness,
She asks nothing in return.
As we look upon her picture,
Sweet memories we recall,
Of a face so full of sunshine,
And a smile for one and all.
Sweet Jesus, take this message,
To our dear mother up above;
Tell her how we miss her,
And give her all our love.
- Irish Funeral Prayer
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I have my mother's original birth certificate, which lists my Grandmother Juanita as her mother and Charles Brannon as her father. They weren't married however.
My mother was the product of a sexual assault.
Back in the 1920's, there would have been much shame and embarrassment brought on the family because of this violation of my Grandmother, like it was her fault. A respectable woman kept her virtue in tact. So the family kept it all a secret. Charles Brannon was never arrested and my Grandmother had the child of her attacker.
My Grandmother Juanita was 17 years old at this time, and so my Great Grandparents took the baby Lois Maxine as their own. I don't know who took care of my mother as a newborn, as she isn't listed in the 1925 Iowa State Census. I have always thought it was perhaps one of my Great Aunts. I will never know.
You won't find her in the United States Federal Census however, until 1930, living in the household of her grandparents, R.Z. Clements and Mary Etta Clements, in that census she is "Maxene Reams", and she is also listed as their daughter.
My mother continued to stay with and be raised by my Great Grandparents (R.Z. Clements was Mary Etta's 2nd husband; her first husband was Allen Reams); why you ask?
My Grandmother Juanita had met a man that wanted to marry her as long as her "indiscretion" wasn't around. As if it were my mother's fault. This however was the mindset back in 1930's Iowa.
Then what added insult to injury is my Grandmother Juanita and her husband Pierce (Hollister Pierce Redington) had a child, a son, my mother's half brother, Earl Arthur "Sonny" Redington.
I can't imagine the shame and torment of my mother. Not being able to live with and grow up with her own mother and not knowing why for years. The one blessing that came from this however is my mother was loved so much by my Great Grandparents, so she was happy there. She told me many stories of gardening with her grandmother and of the rooster that would always chase her going to school and coming back home.
Mom's first marriage was to Quentin Jay "Bud" Riley in September 1942. They divorced in about 1947. She had a son with him, my brother, Quinn Jake Riley, who passed away April 6, 2018 in Rockford, Illinois.
She then married my father, LeRoy Long in 1952 in Raton, New Mexico.
Mom had four more children, one ending in a miscarriage. Our family owned a tavern in Colorado Springs on the West Side (now people call it Old Colorado City) called "Red's Place" on Colorado Avenue. Mom tended bar. They later sold it and it became Danny Roger's tavern.
After that, Mom worked at Henri's Mexican Foods, 2427 West Colorado Avenue, for many years, also on the West Side. Now it's called "Jorge's".
Her last job was working at the Snow White Laundry facility at 25th and Colorado Avenue.
My precious, sweet mother died on July 23, 1997 at Penrose Main Hospital in Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado, from aspiration pneumonia after surgery for a broken hip. I miss her so much. She sacrificed so much for us kids and we didn't appreciate it much at the time but I will be forever in her debt.
*Granddaughter Sheree Michelle Zalen is buried in Fairview Cemetery as well.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
From the Gazette, July 25, 1997:
LOIS ''MAXINE'' LONG, 73, died July 23, 1997, in Colorado Springs. She worked for Henri's Mexican Restaurant and Snow White Laundry.
Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Blunt Mortuary Chapel, 2229 W. Colorado Ave., with the Rev. Curtis A. Blair officiating.
Mrs. Long was born Aug. 8, 1923, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Charles and Juanita (Reams) Brannon.
She was married for more than 50 years to LeRoy Long, who lives in Colorado Springs.
She also is survived by a son, Douglas of Fairplay; two daughters, Carol Young of Greeley and Pat Spurlin of Colorado Springs; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Mrs. Long was an avid Broncos fan.
Memorial contributions may be made to Silver Key Senior Services, 2250 Bott Ave., Colorado Springs 80904.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
You can only have one mother
Patient kind and true;
No other friend in all the world,
Will be the same to you.
When other friends forsake you,
To mother you will return,
For all her loving kindness,
She asks nothing in return.
As we look upon her picture,
Sweet memories we recall,
Of a face so full of sunshine,
And a smile for one and all.
Sweet Jesus, take this message,
To our dear mother up above;
Tell her how we miss her,
And give her all our love.
- Irish Funeral Prayer
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Gravesite Details
Buried: 7/28/1997
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