Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace. Proverbs 3: 17
Our Beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, Aunt, and wonderful Friend, Ona Gentry Long, 87, longtime resident of Butler, Tenn., passed away peacefully in her sleep after an extended illness on May 21, 2015, in Murfreesboro, Tenn., with her family.
She was born on May 26, 1927 and was the last member of the OK Pleasant family that dates from 1884. Besides her parents, Roderick Butler Pleasant and Vena Alice Pierce Pleasant, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Ola Kyte and Ova Stalcup, and six brothers, Kyle, King, Karl, Kale, Keys and Klan. Her loving Veteran husbands, Robert Gentry and John Long, also preceded her death.
Survivors include her daughter, Judy Wagner, her husband, Larry, grandson, Robby Wagner and wife Casey and five great-grandchildren, Annabel, Avery, Elly, Wes and Jon, all of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; her son, Tone Long and wife Anna Marie, grandsons, Paul, Carl and Mark, and great-grandchildren, all of Osceola, Ind. She has numerous wonderful nieces and nephews. A very special extended family is Darrell and Sue Ward and family. She was known to all as “MeMe O.” And like her Mother, Mom Pleasant, she was our “Pleasant Rock.”
She was graduated from Johnson County High School in 1946 and enjoyed her lifetime friendships. Ona was a dedicated member of Cobbs Creek Baptist Church in Butler, Tenn., the American Legion Auxiliary #61 in Mountain City, Tenn., Past Worthy Matron and Charter member of the Order of Eastern Star #218 in Butler, Tenn., and was retired after 31 years of service at the Butler Post Office. She was an avid stamp collector, loved cooking, and helping her community in many ways. She was devoted to her family, and special friends, and was steadfast in her belief in God, Country, Friends and Family.
On Saturday, May 30, the visitation will be held at Memorial Funeral Chapel in Elizabethton, Tenn., at 1 p.m. with the service immediately following at 2 p.m. Officiating ministers will be Rev. Dennis Peterson, Rev. Terry Ward and Rev. A.J. Potter. Interment will follow the service at Butler Memorial Cemetery in Butler, Tenn. Active pallbearers are Larry Wagner, Robby Wagner, Darrell Ward, Jamie Ward, Tone Long and Truett Pleasant. Honorary pallbearers are Boyd Peterson, her church family, Sid Smithdeal, Ken Rainbolt, co-workers of the Butler Post Office, L.B. Rainey, H.R. Long, Mike Long and the nephews and grand nephews of the family. Memorial donations may be made to the American Legion Auxiliary, 4407 Forge Creek Road, Mountain City, Tenn., or the Cobbs Creek Baptist Church, 150 Church Street, Butler, Tenn. The family appreciates all the many cards and thoughtfulness expressed during her illness and especially now during this difficult time. Her favorite poem since the 1940s was, “Let me live in a house by the side of the road and be a Friend to all.”
Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the Long family.