Lynn Long

Ruby Lynn (Ford) Long, 70, of Montgomery, Alabama ended her time on Earth at Baptist East Hospital on February 7th after battling a number of health issues for an extended time. While her heart was full of love, it was not strong enough to endure her recent illnesses.

Lynn was born September 24, 1948 in Miami, Florida. She was born during two hurricanes. Her parents, Jesse Raymond Ford and Virginia Ellen (Cooper) Ford, claimed she got her strong personality from the storms surrounding her arrival.

Both parents preceded her in death, and they were deeply loved and cared for by Lynn and her sister Sandra Houston and brother-in-love Tillman Houston of Abilene, Texas.

Lynn attended Freed-Hardeman University, where she met a popular guy who introduced himself by blowing bubbles into his tea. She agreed to go out with him only because he had a nice car; afterall, she was already engaged to someone else. She would come to love Samuel Hershel Long, and they would spend the next 52 years together in marriage. The wedding took place on June 30, 1967, the same day she realized Sam had not planned a honeymoon.

Sam and Lynn lived in Ackerman, Mississippi; Lake Butler, FL; Milton, FL; Cocoa, FL; Neptune Beach, FL; and Montgomery, AL. They raised three daughters, allowing Lynn to play dress up daily and become really good at getting knots and the occasional wad of gum out of hair. She showed no mercy when brushing hair which allowed the daughters to have some great hair and incredible pain tolerance.

Her daughters and son in laws: Cammy Jo McCain and Lee McCain of Centerton, AR, Jennifer Jill Davenport and Larry Davenport of Sheffield, AL, and April Joy Howton and Jason Howton of Florence, AL all had the privilege of being loved by Lynn.

She is also survived by Duwain Houston, a loving nephew, his wife Carole, and their children, Brantly of Fayettville, Arkansas, Callie, Kendall, and Carson, of Abilene, TX.

Lynn loved cutting the grass, country music, her pool, catering, traveling, diamonds, Christmas dishes, throwing parties, her dog Boo, and Diet Coke, but she adored her 11 grandchildren: Ellen Davenport Thorn and her husband Cameron Thorn, Sammy McCain, Abby McCain, Cooper Howton, Emma Lynn Davenport, Maddie Howton, Samantha Howton, Brooks Howton, Liam Howton, Kalynn Howton, and Camden Howton. She enjoyed having them for a week of spoiling during the summer and was always the loudest cheerleader at their school events. Knowing the rules of the sport was not important to her, and she felt that it was redundant to yell while others were yelling. “Wait until everyone stops cheering so you can be heard,” was her motto.

Lynn became a Christian early in life. She loved the Lord and lived by His Word. She was continuously busy in the Lord’s work and was a faithful member of University Church of Christ for the last 15 years where her husband Sam serves as an elder. In her lifetime she taught Bible Classes, arranged flowers, decorated bulletin boards, spoke at Ladies’ events, planned Ladies’ Retreats, sat at many hospital beds, drove people to church (sometimes against their will), made food for every event possible, prepared communion, signed for the deaf members, counseled at Bible Camp, and had the best Cookie Monster puppet voice of anyone ever.

Lynn was not afraid of living. She swam beaches, jumped out of an airplane, walked 60 miles in 3 Days, rode motorcycles, traveled to Hawaii and the Holy Lands, cruised to the Bahamas, visited the Smoky Mountains, San Francisco, and New York, and embraced every experience with joy. One of her favorite adventures was the Washington, DC trip she took with the grandchildren when they turned 13. She was not afraid of dying. She truly believed in the assurance of her salvation and the reward that is promised in Hebrews 6:19.

Visitation will be held Monday at 1:00 at University Church of Christ in Montgomery, Alabama with the Celebration of Life service following at 2:00. The family would like to thank you for the enormous outpouring of love we have felt and seen in the past two weeks during her illness. While we are obviously feeling sorrow, we are overwhelmed with love and gratitude. We are truly rich with friendships. May God continue to bless you as you have blessed our family.