Bernard Long
Bernard J. Long, 90, of Wolf Point died May 31, 2024, in Billings at St. Vincent Hospital.
He was born Nov. 14, 1933, in Big Beaver, Sask., Canada, to Bruce and Dora (Lotz) Long, the fifth child of eight children. He attended school in Canada until the family moved to Redstone and continued his education there.
He worked on Charlie Grant’s farm until he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in October 1954 where he turned 21 in boot camp. He was stationed in Guam for part of his service. He served a total of eight years between active duty and the reserves. He was honorably discharged on Dec. 28, 1962.
In 1957, he met Janice Pauline Dassonville. After a yearlong courtship, they were married on Jan. 16, 1959, at the First Lutheran Church in Frazer.
In their early years of marriage, he provided for the family working various jobs (farming, Glasgow Air Force Base and road construction work) before settling on a little farm on the river bottom near Wolf Point. They raised seven children and had a large part in the raising of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He, Janice and the children worked long hard hours building their farm/ranch. During these 57 years at the farm, they raised chickens, pigs, cows, hay, oats, barley and wheat. The farm evolved from a little house with no indoor plumbing down a little dirt trail in the brush to a “good” gravel road that welcomed family, friends and strangers who shortly became friends.
When he wasn’t working from sun up until sun down, he loved to play cards, camp, fish, take airplane rides and take road trips with his children.
He was proceeded in death by brothers, Wes Long, Howard Long and Leonard Long; sister, Helen Long Mueller; and son, Michael Ray Long.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Janice Long; children, Doug Long, Doreen Long Sansaver, Kathy Rutherford, Steven Long, Terri Sansaver, David Long; sisters, Marion Holman and Donelda Peterson; brother, Gene Long; 14 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Saturday, June 8, at the Immaculate Conception Church in Wolf Point. Burial was at the Long Family Cemetery near Wolf Point. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point assisted with the arrangements.
