Funeral services for 77-year-old Henry Jarrell Long of Gracey will be 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at Hughart, Beard & Giles Funeral Home.
Burial will follow in Green Hill Memorial Gardens.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until the funeral hour.
Henry Jarrell Long passed away Friday, January 3, 2025, at his home surrounded by his loving family. Raised on a farm in Gracey, Kentucky, he was born January 4, 1947, the son of the late Henry Mack Long and Zona Smiley Long. Like most farming operations of this time his family engaged in the production of beef and dairy cattle, hogs, row crops, and tobacco. Jarrell competed in local 4-H and FFA competitions, while also actively helping on the farm. His passion was always horses, cattle and taking care of the Lord's land. He broke horses for several local people and competed in calf roping in local rodeos. The western lifestyle is something that he still held near and dear to his heart in which he passed along to his sons and his grandson.
After graduating high school from Christian County High School in 1965, where he was a star basketball player. Jarrell attended Austin Peay State University for a short stint where he majored in agriculture. Like many young men of his time, Jarrell took the calling to serve his country by joining the Army National Guard as a tank commander.
After years of service, he retired from Bell South in 2000 where he began farming full time. He backgrounded cattle and had a cow -calf operation. When the Christian County Cattlemen's was first established he was one of the charter members and served on the board of directors. He served a large part in the initiation of the annual Cattlemen's rodeo and regularly aided in getting the grounds prepared for the event. In December 2021 he was inducted into the Christian County High School Athletic Hall of Fame, this was a proud moment for him along with his family. He was also a board member of both Southern States Co-Op and Petroleum and was a member of Hopkinsville First United Methodist Church where he served as head usher and on multiple committees. Hard work was important to him, but more importantly was time spent with his wife, children and grandchildren, this brought him the most joy.
Jarrell is survived by his wife of what would have been married 58 years on January 7 of this year, Judith Henderson Long. He is also survived by his two sons Chris (Kristen) of Gracey, Kentucky and Brice (Carie) of Springfield, Tennessee, and the proud grandfather of Cooper Long and Carly Long both of Gracey, Kentucky along with several nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Betty Turner and Rachel Moore, a brother Edwin Long, and a granddaughter, Callie Anne Long.
The family request that in lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to the Back to Back Foundation, P. O Box 477, Hopkinsville, KY 42241-0477 or Christian County Cattlemen's Association Scholarship Fund P.O. Box 978 Hopkinsville, Ky 42241
