Cliff & Lyn Long Family

Patricia Marilyn (Lyn) & Clifford Allan Long

HOW DID THEY FIRST MEET? Lyn was out at a restaurant after a date with another fellow (Bob.) A couple of guys Bob knew from McKinley Foundation came in and chose to sit with them. One of the guys was Cliff Long! They went back to McKinley and played ping pong and Lyn was impressed with Cliff’s skill!
Lived in Champaign, Illinois for a short while as Cliff finished his degree. In September 1959 they moved to Bowling Green, Ohio where they spent the rest of their days
They raised four children: Steven Allan, Andrew Edmund, Thaddeus Cline and Melinda Suzanne
Church was part of the weekly activities. We never missed unless it was an extreme circumstance.
Family was a priority
- evening meals together was the rule
- attending the annual, multi-day Cline Reunion from 1969 on was never a question – they were THERE!
- time with Long/Miller kin up in Canada (Sarnia, ONT region) was part of life
Travel was important to them – family trips included visits to most of “the lower 48” while camping. Lyn has been to all 50 states and Cliff & Lyn traveled internationally to many places including Australia/New Zealand, Eastern Europe, Alaska and Togo. After Cliff’s death, Lyn has also been to Israel/Egypt, China, Turkey, Haiti, Myanmar and South Africa.

Specific details on life in the Long family

Dinner grace was almost always: “God is great, God is good, let us thank him for our food. (By his hand we all are fed, give us Lord our daily bread. Amen.”) The second part was added by Steve Rock when he and his siblings were staying with the Longs for a few days
The Long kids enjoyed growing up on a “dead end” street – very few cars in the area and lots of kids. We lived very near “the swamp” – more details about that area and subsequent neighborhood changes here
Family was named “Family of the Year” for Bowling Green in 1988