Michael James
Long, Jr. (1936 – 2010)
 Mike Long was born
in the Bronx, NY on Father’s Day, June 21, 1936, the first son of
Michael J Long and Margaret Mary Kelly Long. Shortly after his birth the
family moved to Astoria, Queens where Mike and his siblings Thomas,
Theresa Evelyn, and Ann Marie spent their childhood.
During Mike’s formative years, Astoria was mostly an
Irish immigrant neighborhood where it was easy to become part of Gaelic
Ireland, listening to music, songs and stories and discussing Irish
issues. Mike did not have far to venture to find the Irish experience.
That came from his Limerick born father and his Mayo born mother. There
was no shortage of Irish history lessons in the Long household. The
Treaty Stone, the Land League and other milestones in Irish history were
all discussed and committed to memory by the children during their early
years in Astoria.
Mike was proud to note that he graduated from the School
of Hard Knocks. Courage, determination and endurance were the core
subjects taught in that institution, all of which Mike excelled at.
These imbued qualities helped him overcome the many challenges he faced
during his lifetime.
In 1956, Mike met and married Marie Fulmer. After their
marriage they moved to New Jersey where they raised four children,
Theresa Marie, Michael, Patricia Ann and Kathleen Mary. Seven
grandchildren rounded out the family.
Mike served his country in
the US Marine Corps. He became a member of the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers and worked in that industry for 10 years. In 1970,
Mike served as President & CEO of Long Life Lighting an independent
electrical contracting company. The company specialized in designing
and building innovative, energy and cost-effective custom structures for
the transportation, rail, marine and airport industries.
Since 1965, Mike was a member of all four
chapters of the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh. He was also an active
member and supporter of all the Irish fraternal, cultural and charitable
organizations in Essex County.
Mike was the Adjutant of 1969
St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Newark. As Grand Marshal of the same parade
in 1976 he had the honor to lead the American contingent honoring the
American bi-centennial at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin,
Ireland.
In the early seventies, Michael, already imbued with his
Gaelic background became involved with all of the leading cultural and
fraternal Irish organizations in the Central Jersey area. In 1996 he
became a member of the Total Abstinence Association of the Scared Heart
/ Pioneers. He served that organization proudly until his death in 2010.
In 2002, Mike married Elsie Ford and became
stepfather to two children and four grandchildren. Mike’s family was
complete with the inclusion of two great grand children
The State of New Jersey proclaimed June 21, 2006, the
Michael J. Long, Jr. Day, in recognition of his contribution to the
State of New Jersey, political and community service and support of its
cultural diversity.
Despite all the accolades
bestowed upon Mike Long in America, he did not shun the call for help
when it came from the beleaguered people of Ireland in the early
seventies. He worked as hard for their cause as any human could
assisting the various organizations that supported the families of the
front line warriors.
Mike proved to be very
effective operating behind the scenes during that period.
Mary Margaret Kelly from
Mayo and Michael J. Long from Limerick would have been very proud of
their son Michael Lames Long JR.
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