Susan Long

Susan Wilkerson Long was born in Selma, Alabama on March 30, 1952 and passed away on May 7, 2020 in Pensacola, Florida after her struggle with cancer. She is survived by Harry Pharr Long, her husband of 43 years, her two children, Harry Pharr Long, Jr. and Susan Knight Long, her brother Thomas Wiley Wilkerson (his friend Denise) and his two children, Thomas Wiley Wilkerson, II and Patricia Donaldson (Aaron) and his four grandchildren, and her sister and best friend, Phyllis Wilkerson Bradford (Terry) and their two children Landon Keith Brown and Dennis Scott Brown.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Marceline Knight Wilkerson and her father, Harrell Wilkerson, and her niece Morgan Robertson.

Susan graduated from Uniontown High School, attended Troy State University, and graduated from the University of Alabama with a BA and Master’s in Library Science. After college she made her home in Anniston, Alabama. She was a fulltime mother but still found time to teach school, run for public office, as well as own a retail store in Homewood, Alabama.

After her children graduated high school, she lived in Anniston and Perdido Key, Florida. She acquired her real estate license and later opened her own brokerage in Pensacola.

While doing all these many things she fell in love with New England and especially Maine. She was able to acquire a beautiful place on the coast and built her dream house looking out over the ocean.

Susan believed in the social graces. She had a great appreciation of the women of the generation before her and the way they conducted themselves and treated other people. She aspired to conduct herself as they did and to transmit an appreciation for the same to her children. She was successful in both regards

She was an acclaimed social entertainer who compiled a legendary collection of recipes and greatly enjoyed fine wine and pleasant conversation. She was a past president of Matrons and a member of Revelers and Maskers Mardi Gras Krewes in Anniston and the Order of Disorder Mardi Gras Krewe in Orange Beach, Alabama. For many years she hosted a fabulous pre-party for Revelers and a Christmas Eve party which were enjoyed by many.

Everywhere she traveled across the country, Susan easily made friends with her humor, curiosity, and positivity. A wonderful mother and friend to all, she will be affectionately remembered, and her spirit lives on in all who knew her.

The funeral services will be grave side only however there are no longer any COVID-19 limitations on numbers as long as we observe social distancing. The services will be at St Michael’s Cemetery in Faunsdale at 5.00 pm on Monday, May 11, 2020 with Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home directing.

The pallbearers are Frank Bates Fowlkes, Paul Michael Cole, Max C. Pope, Jr., Robert Fitzhugh Byrd, Thomas Ralston Long, IV, William Volandt Meador, Jr., Curtis McCall Locklin, and Ray Moody

Her family would like to thank our friends and community for the support that we have received as we dealt with these difficult times. We could not have done it without you, and we appreciate all your thoughts, prayers, and actions which have provided us so much comfort.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to The Robert E. Reed Gastrointestinal Oncology Research Foundation, P.O. Box 530186, Birmingham, Alabama 35253 or St Michael’s Cemetery, 5430 County Road 51, Faunsdale, Alabama 36738.