Obituary of Sandra A. Long

Niskayuna -- Sandra Alice (Gray) Long died peacefully on July 8, 2010, after courageously living with a long-term illness. Born May 24, 1939 in Troy, NY, Sandy was the oldest daughter of Clarence Elbert and Alice May (Truax) Gray. Sandy attended public schools in Cohoes through Junior High, then graduated with a Regents Diploma in 1957 from Mont Pleasant High School in Schenectady. She attended SUNY/Oneonta and Russell Sage College in Albany. Sandy married the Rev. Robert "Bob" Long on September 3, 1961, and was a partner in ministry with him for 50 years at United Methodist congregations in Dallas, TX, Montpelier, VT, Poughkeepsie, Colonie, Nassau, Ballston Spa, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, and Albany, NY. Most recently, she was a member of First United Methodist Church in Schenectady. She sang in church choirs, worked with children and youth, led study groups, participated in book clubs and maintained contact with those at the margins of each congregation and in the community. Early on, Sandy worked at Wallace Company in Schenectady, then at Drew University in NJ and Southern Methodist University in TX. She worked for three summers at Camp Mississquoi in Vermont, and for one summer at the Albany United Methodist Society. A teacher at heart, Sandy served as a Teaching Assistant in the Union 32 (VT,) Saratoga Springs, Ballston Spa, Niskayuna and Guilderland Center School Districts, as well as the Early Childhood Center at Skidmore College. Sandy was a life-long member of United Methodist Women and Church Women United, holding local, district, conference, state and regional offices, where she organized and participated in conferences, training events, worship services, and mission activities. Sandy had a love for creation and deeply valued people everywhere, focusing on what she called "compassion-in-action." She had a particular interest in groups that reach across cultural and ethnic boundaries and enjoyed involvement in the Interfaith Community of Schenectady, League of Women's Voters, social action and environmental conservation organizations, CROP walks, Cub Scouts and Brownies, among many others. Progressive in her values, her TV and radio were tuned to Public Media Channels and C-SPAN. Sandy loved life and had many personal interests, including singing, piano, gardening, outdoor activities, travel, cooking, reading and recycling. Many summers were spent with friends and family at the Riverside Institute in Riparius, NY and Methodist Farm on Crooked Lake. She cherished her family, took pleasure while participating in their activities, enjoyed gathering family history, and regularly communicated with extended family, diligently remembering birthdays and anniversaries. She will be deeply missed and cherished in memory. Survivors include her husband, Robert, of almost 49 years; her daughter, Beth Anne Velasquez [Jose], also of Niskayuna; her son, Stephen Long, and four grandchildren, Sabrina, Zachary, Tyler and Katrina of Scotia; her three sisters: Beverly Roscoe [Michael] of Colonie; Karen Dailey [Ross] of Saranac Lake; and Janis Phillips [William] of Schenectady; one surviving aunt, several cousins, and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Sandy is also predeceased by one sister, Diana Colleton [Warren] of Guilderland. A Memorial Service will be held at the First United Methodist Church,603 State St. Schenectady, on Saturday, September 25, at 1:30 PM. Memories for inclusion in a memory book may be sent by email to SandraLongMemorial@gmail.com, and messages to the family may be left at www.JonesFH.net. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the United Methodist Women - Women's Division, 475 Riverside Drive, Room 1503, New York, New York, 10115 [mark check memo: "Work Program/Regional Missionaries"], in memory of Sandra A. Long.