Joyce E. Long

KEWANEE- Joyce E. Long, 87, of Kewanee, died at 12:45 a.m., Saturday, March 30, 2019 at OSF Saint Luke Medical Center in Kewanee.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, April 8 at Rux Funeral Home in Kewanee. Rev. Burnell Eckardt will officiate. Visitation will be held from 3:00-5:00 p.m., Sunday, April 7 at the funeral home with a VFW Ladies Auxiliary service at 2:45 p.m. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Gardens in rural Kewanee. Memorials may be directed to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, VFW Post 8078 Auxiliary, or to the American Cancer Society.

She was born August 2, 1931 in Neponset, the daughter of Max G. and Margaret A. (Fuerst) Kuster. She was first married to Don Geer and then later married Arnold “Arnie” Long on May 22, 1971 in Kewanee and he preceded her in death on February 13, 1984. Survivors include her son, Martin (Belinda) Geer of Walkoloa, HI, her two daughters, Kathleen (Kenneth) Nussear of Kewanee and Palm Springs, CA and Linda (Robert “Bob”) Jacobs of Kewanee, a sister, Jeanne Hintz of Davenport, IA, five grandchildren; Lorie (Patrick) Townsend of Bettendorf, IA, Sheri Terry and her special friend, Tim Willage of Kewanee, Rick Wiley of Washington DC, Lisa McCann and her special friend, Joe Whittaker of Shelbyville, IL and Steven Geer of Virginia and six great grandchildren; Megan, Michael, Willie, Trenton, Jacob and Miah and step children, Ron (Doris Ann) Long, Kevin Long and Annette Johnson.  She was also preceded in death by her parents and three sisters; Opal Kuster, Jeraldine “Jeri” Helmkamp and Elaine “Tina” Kuster and two step-sons, Chuck and Don Long.

Joyce graduated from Kewanee High School in 1949. She worked as a waitress at Midland Country Club for 21 years, retiring in 1994. She had also been a part-time bartender at the Shamrock Club. She was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and the Eagles Aire and a lifetime member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary. She enjoyed bowling and was a member of the Kewanee Women’s Bowling Association.

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