John Dale Long

John D. Long, of Corvallis, an extraordinary Brother, Son, Uncle, Great Uncle, and friend of so many, died Sunday, May 31, at age 70 in the Willamette Springs Memory Care Facility, Corvallis. John retired from Good Samaritan Hospital in December, 2015 as a Registered Polysomnographic Technologist working in the field of health care professionals who clinically assess patients with sleep disorders. At John’s retirement he was physically and financially fit to enjoy a long and fruitful post work life of all things he loved. John was sadly diagnosed with Frontal Temporal Dementia just a few years into his retirement. John was unique and contagious, if you weren’t careful you would find yourself climbing a rock, kayaking the Rogue River or riding your bike 100+ miles. All the while feeling a little uncomfortable about the risks involved, but John would instill a level of confidence in you that you didn’t know was there. Everyone trusted John as the consummate pro and just went along because it would be okay. John lead an adventurous life and one few could compare. He climbed Yosemite’s El Capitan and Half Dome, as well as everything one can climb in Oregon. He kayaked the entire Grand Canyon and frequented the Rogue River. He made beer and wine, was a mountain biker and road cyclist, a cross country and telemark skier, a fly fisherman, an amateur chef, an environmentalist, a supporter of too many non-profits to list, an ardent reader of everything, a bird watcher, a recycler well before it was the “in” thing to do. John savored the good things in life. Cooking great food paired with Oregon Pinot, coffee at The Beanery, movies, books and was always up for a thought provoking conversation. He was a cool guy that will live on in our memories and in the daily experiences of things he taught us along the way. John is survived by, Step father, Orville Gerhardt, sister Diane Carey, brother Scott Rooks, brother in law Richard Carey, sister in law Laney Rooks, nephews John and Tyson Velkinburg, great niece and nephew Mckenna and Blake Velkinburg. Way to live a life John! We love you and miss you so bad.

Tributes

John Dale Long

December 14, 1949 - May 31, 2020