Mabel Josephine Long

Mabel J. Long, 92, of Owensboro, passed away March 2, 2018 under the care of Hospice of Western Kentucky. She was born Sept. 12, 1925 in Owensboro to the late, Ernest P. Gratzer & Mabel C. Paulin. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Mitchell C. Long, in 1999; brothers, Ernest Joseph, Peter Matthew, Herbert Marion & Robert Herman Grazer; sister, Louise Gertrude Gratzer; grandparents, Benedict & Josephine (McCallister) Gratzer and Cornelius & Elizabeth (Feirstein) Paulin.
She graduated from St. Francis Academy, Owensboro, in 1946. She married her husband of 52 years, Mitchell C. Long, on Dec. 2, 1946 in Owensboro.
She was employed as a receptionist by Dr. Mark Ross, optometrist, for two years and at Owensboro's General Electric for nine years. She also worked as a seamstress and homemaker. She was a member of Blessed Mother Catholic Church. One of her favorite pastimes was working to beautify her yard.
After her sons left home she started a career as a volunteer. She volunteered at the Owensboro Medical Health System Hospital for 28 years (1986-2014). Over that period she had more service hours than anyone in the hospital's volunteer auxiliary. For one span of 10 consecutive years she was the leader in hours of service. She performed many duties, including delivering flowers, newspapers, and mail to patients; mailed birthday, get well & sympathy cards to members of the hospital's volunteer auxiliary, Pastoral care & Golden Partners; for giveaways, raffles & sales she sewed and made various crafts, pillows, dolls and stuffed animals; a skilled seamstress she made Care Bears for children who undergo surgery, heart pillows for heart surgery patients, cancer pillows for women undergoing mastectomies and assembled baby boxes for indigent mothers.
Mabel produced thousands of dollars for various fund raisers conducted by the OMHS volunteer auxiliary and was one of the leading sellers of memberships to the hospitals' 1898 Society. She suggested and originated several of the complimentary programs provided by the volunteer auxiliary and outside of the hospital she solicited and shopped for items and materials to be used in the auxiliary's service programs and giveaways. During 1999-2000 she was part of the Owensboro Mercy Health System's advertisement campaign; her photo appeared in several ads in the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer and on five highway billboards at major entrances into Owensboro. For her volunteer service she was honored with several awards, including Outstanding Retired Volunteer Service Award, STAR Award, President's Volunteer Service Award, and was made a Kentucky Colonel.
She is survived by sons, Mitchell C. (Martha) Long Jr., & Jerry Long, of Owensboro; grandchildren, Christy (Chris) Whitsell, of Danville, Heather (Joey) Blandford, of Lexington, Brian M. (Arpi) Long, of Chicago, IL, & Katie (Nick) Duvall, of New York City, NY; great-grandchildren, Taylor, Kaylee & Kyle Whitsell, Claire & Evelyn Blandford & Avery Long; brother, Bernard Gratzer, of Evansville, IN; nieces & nephews; longtime best friend, Cecilia Fulton, of Owensboro; and step-grandchildren, Jennifer, Michelle, and Paul and their families.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to Blessed Mother Catholic Church.

Funeral Mass will be 12 pm Monday, March 5, 2018 at Blessed Mother Catholic Church with visitation beginning at 9 am at the church. Burial will follow at the Resurrection Cemetery.

Care has been entrusted to Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory