ALMON LONG

Almon J. Long , of Larksville , died Tuesday , January 23, 2018 at the Hospice of the Sacred Heart, Dunmore, PA.

A Korean War Veteran, he served with the United States Army's 822nd Aviation Battalion, 49th Bomber Wing, 5th Air Force, and 8th Army in Korea during 1951-52. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal with three stars and the Presidential Unit Citation.

A member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars since 1952, Long served as Commander of VFW Post 2433 in Union, New Jersey in 1960-61 and in 1969-70 and more recently as Commander of Kingston, PA Post 283.He served as Commander of the VFW's District 11 in 1983-84. He served for 12 years as Quartermaster of Post 283 and 12 years as District 11 Voice of Democracy Chairman.

At the Department level he served as Junior Vice Commander, Senior Vice Commander, and State Commander of the VFW Department of Pennsylvania.

While serving as State Commander for the Department of PA VFW, from June 1988 to July 1989, he worked to pass legislation which enabled charitable and community groups to raise funds through small games of chance. During his term, the site was selected for the sorely needed fourth State Veterans Home in Scranton and the additional plans for two additional homes within the state.

He has served on various state committees including State Membership Chairman. He received several national appointments including National Security & Foreign Affairs Committee . He served as chairman of the state legislative committee for 13 consecutive years. In 1993, he was elected Chairman of the Eastern States Conference. In 1989, he was appointed by Governor Robert Casey to the Blue Ribbon Commissioning Committee for the U.S.S. Pennsylvania Trident Submarine. He has received the Chapel of the Four Chaplains Humanitarian Award. He served on the Pennsylvania War Veterans Council and the State Veterans Commission. He is a member of the Wyoming Valley Korean War Veterans, Life Member of the Military Order of the Cooties, Life Member of the Blinded Veterans Association, Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and an Honorary member of the Jewish War Veterans of Haifa, Israel. In 2008, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center in Scranton, PA.

He was active in his community for many years serving as President of the Edwardsville/Larksville Little League and as Chairman of the Larksville Bicentennial Committee. He also served on Larksville Borough Council, the Larksville Recreational Authority, on the Executive Board of Local 19 of the UFCW Union, and on the Board of Trustees of Valley View Union Chapel. He was Chairman of the Police Committee and Chairman of the Civil Service Commission in Larksville. He served for 8 years as controller for the Borough of Larksville.

He attended Rutgers University and the Newark Conservatory of Music. He was a retired grocer with Giant Markets.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Mary A. Gregory of Larksville, and granddaughter Heather Long.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years , the former Cora Rehn of Wilkes Barre. He is also survived by his children, Linda Colianni (Larksville), Lori Schmidt and her husband Richard (Wapwallopen), and Al Long and his wife Donna (Ashley), grandchildren Vinnie Colianni and his wife Lauren, Michael Booth and his wife Ashley, Courtney Long and her companion Sean Oldfield, and Peter Salierno, great grandchildren Logan Colianni and Braelyn Heck. He is also survived by half brothers Frank, Jim , and Jerry Long and by his constant canine companion Sweet Olivia.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, January 29, 2018, at 10:30 in St. Ignatius Church, 335 N. Maple Ave., Kingston, with burial following in Oak Lawn Cemetery, Hanover Twp. Everyone is asked to go directly to the church.

Visitation will be on Sunday, January 28, 2018, from 4 to 7 pm at the Andrew Strish Funeral Home, 11 Wilson Street, Larksville.

In Lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to the Hospice of the Sacred Heart, 100 William Street, Dunmore, PA 18510 or to the Luzerne County Association for the Blind.
 

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