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Robert W. Long
A TRIBUTE TO ROBERT W. LONG
While we are living, our lives are like that of an open book, still being written.
Eventually, our book closes for us . . .
(Nina Jean Slack, Once Lost, Forever Found)
To his immediate family, Bob was a father and a grandfather, a "g.g." (great-grandfather) and husband. But the story of his life also encompasses his years as a student, college athlete, teacher and coach, and his successful academic career which culminated in his tenure as a college president. As is true of everyone, he was a multi-faceted human being whose story in part is told here.
THE BOOK OF HIS LIFE . . .
Chapter 1: Bob and his fraternal twin, Knox T. (Bud) Long, were part of a family of five children that also included sisters Monica, Marilyn and Lois, whose father, Martin Luther Long, was a Baptist minister, and whose mother died when the twins were two years old. In the years following her death, the children moved from their home in Burbank and lived for a time with a series of different families. Bob and Bud spent some of those years in the care of the Ralph Ainley family in Woodlake, CA, and Bob never failed during his lifetime to acknowledge their generosity and loving guidance. Bob later returned to Burbank and was on the Burbank High School football team where he was named to the All-State team. Football played a very prominent role in his life, and he went on to attend Stanford University on a football scholarship and was a three-year varsity letterman. He earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree in 1957 at Stanford. He completed his Doctor in Education degree at Brigham Young University in 1976.
Chapter 2: In 1957 Bob married Charline Cross, the mother of his three children, Roch (better known as Rock) and Matthew Long and Jennifer. His first professional job was as a teacher, coach and counselor at Burbank High School for six years. He began his 29 years of service to Ventura College in 1963 as a history teacher and football coach, where he then worked tirelessly to turn around the fortunes of the Ventura College Pirates and establish a winning program. He became the head coach in 1967 and in six years became the coach with the best win record at that time in the program's history. His coaching duties were expanded when he became the head tennis coach in 1965. In 1973 he was elected president of the California Community College Football Coaches Association. In 1970 he became the Dean of Student Services at the college.
Chapter 3: While in student services, he established the Ventura College Children's Center off-campus in 1975 and played a critical role in obtaining funding for the on-campus center completed in 1991. At that time, this building was named in his honor. On a personal note, he and Alicia Hoeven were married in 1975. Their blended families now included her four children, Frank, Catherine, Steven and Linda Hoeven. Continuing his career at Ventura College, Bob was later selected the Chief Administrative Business Officer, a position he held until he was named Ventura College president in 1985, a role that was his until his retirement in 1992. A priority goal Bob was tasked to achieve while president was the establishment of the first Ventura College Foundation. As was so innately a part of his personality, he tackled (an apt description, considering his football background) this job with laser-focused vision to make the foundation a model organization and fund-raising mechanism for the college. He succeeded in this mission far beyond the expectations set out for him. He also was the driving force behind the construction of Guthrie Hall Learning Center on campus. During his years at the college, he was active in many college and community organizations. He headed the California Community College Commission on Athletics for several years and was inducted into their Sport Hall of Fame in 1992. He was named Citizen of the Year by the Ventura Board of Realtors in 1991. He also served on the committee established to research bringing what is now California State University Channel Islands to its present location in Camarillo.
Chapter 4: After retirement in 1992, Bob and his wife traveled extensively, both in this country and abroad to experience as many different cultures as possible. But the truly meaningful aspects of these years were related to family occurrences such as trips to son Rock's cabin at Shaver Lake and were highlighted by special family events. Bob's son Matt hosted a lavish gathering in Las Vegas for family members to celebrate the 80th birthdays of Bob and his twin, Bud. Matt also hosted several fishing expeditions to Alaska which his brother Rock and his dad were able to join. On another memorable occasion Bob and his wife hosted an Alaskan cruise for all of the children and grandchildren able to join them.
. . . AND HIS DEATH
Chapter 5:
Memories light the corner of my mind,
Misty, water-colored memories
Of the way we were . . . (Marilyn and Alan Bergman, "The Way We Were")
Tragically, in his final years that light was extinguished, and such memories of life's triumphs and tragedies, of the myriad experiences of a lifetime, were taken from Bob, as dementia ravaged his mind and later invaded his body. The toll of this disease cannot be overstated. It robs the victim of the essence of his being. To quote the poet Yeats: "Things fall apart. The center cannot hold."
Bob is survived by his wife, Alicia, and his three children and their families: Rock and daughters Meghan and Julie; Matt (Lumi) and their children Allison, Victoria and Charlie (Toni); Jennifer Kwaitkowski (Rob) and son Jackson (Margo). Hoeven step-children are: Frank (Debbie) and children Sergey (Allie) and Milena; Cathy and daughter Brenne; Steve (Kelly) and children Emily and Sam; Linda Novielli and children Ashley, Nicole and Anthony. Bob is also survived by his fraternal twin, Bud (Kathleen) and his two sisters, Lois Russo and Marilyn Schermerhorn and by eight nieces and nephews. The blended families have blessed Bob and his wife with 14 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren (all boys) including identical twin boys of granddaughter Meghan Long. The family will forever mourn the death of little Roxanne, daughter of Rock and Sue, at the age of three. She is always in their hearts. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Monica Hamlin and by one niece and one nephew.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Bob would want to acknowledge a debt of gratitude first and foremost to his own family who, each in their individual ways, were of help to him. Visits from Meghan and the twins cheered him, and Rock helped with his personal care and so much more. Medical advice from nephew Anthony Russo, M.D., gave needed guidance. Special thanks are owed to friends who have in a very literal sense been there for Bob as his health declined: To Gary Johnson who visited often while Bob was at home to provide diversion and the bounty of his friendship and to John and Sharon Woolley for their continuing support. To Gina and Drew Tillman who have been available selflessly 24/7 since moving to the neighborhood some 20 years ago. Eternal gratitude to Luz Maria Gonzales for her help while Bob was at home, and to the Traditions (memory care) staff at Oakmont of Camarillo, originally under the direction of James Christensen and currently headed by Brenda Reyes. The team from Mission Hospice provided caring services for Bob during the last three months, with a very special thanks to Kathleen, who visited Bob many days on her own time, and to Jaime who went out of her way to explain medical procedures.
EPILOGUE
Some kind, comforting and laudatory comments from Bob's colleagues:
"Many of us believed that Bob was the best Ventura College President of our generation."
"He was absolutely the best administrator ever, a wonderful human being who cared about all of us and had the capacity to make decisions . . . decisive, insightful, and easy to implement."
"He was always there for me whenever an important career decision in my life was looming, and his sage advice always clarified the issues I should be considering."
To Bob's family, these words of William Shakespeare, slightly paraphrased, describe their estimation of him:
He was a man. Take him for all and all. We shall not look upon his like again.
To conclude this tribute, it seems fitting that Bob himself have the last word. He would often quote these lines from one of his favorite songs, "Nature Boy" (by eden ahbez):
The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love, and be loved in return
FOR EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON
. . . a time to weep, and a time to laugh . . .
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
The family is planning the kind of celebration in the spring that is exactly what Bob would have wanted: a casual, festive BBQ at home with emphasis on fun and comradeship and fond sharing of memories by family and friends. There will be much laughter and, as the book of memories is closed, a benediction of tears.
Should anyone wish to make a donation in honor of Bob, please consider the Alzheimer's Association, or any organization dedicated to researching a cure for dementia.
The Perez Family Funeral Home handled the necessary arrangements.
Posted online on September 13, 2021
Published in Ventura County Star
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