Donna Delong

Graveside services are scheduled at 2:00 P.M. Monday, December 14, at Woodbine Cemetery for Donna Marie DeLong, Loco Hills, New Mexico. Mrs. DeLong, 66, died Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at Artesia General Hospital. Belton Mathews and Peggy White will officiate at the services. Pallbearers will be Elwyn Peterson, Steve Blevins, Rodney Standard, Mike Garthwaite, Kevin Rogers, and Rusty Moorhead. Honorary pallbearers will be Larry Taylor, Tom Alexander, and Dennis Langlitz. Visitation will be at Terpening Son Mortuary beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday. Mrs. Delong was born March 10, 1943 in Santa Monica, California; the daughter of William Basil Austin and Iona Haney Austin. On March 9, 1959 she was married to Horace Edward DeLong, Sr. in Colorado City, TX. She came to Artesia in 1966 from Colorado City. Donna passed away after struggling with long-term heart and lung disease. She worked as a waitress for many years before starting her career in the United States Post Office as the OIC in Loco Hills, NM. She was very creative and had a wonderful since of humor. She was affectionately known as Granny to most and Granny Girlfriend to her precious little grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She was one of the hardest working, generous people you would ever meet. Her number one passion was her love for the Lord and would tell anyone about Him that would listen. As a very wise woman she offered her nuggets of wisdom, love and compassion to all she came in contact with. She was even recognized in a prominent newspaper arteicle about her generosity that extended across the United States, stating that the doors to her home were always open to all those in need or just those who needed a friend. She will be remembered for one of the most memorable Christmas programs in Loco Hills Baptist Church and Annual Christmas Caroling with the fruit baskets that were made and given to those in Loco Hills and surrounding areas because of her concern for shut-ins that would not be able to spend Christmas with others. After the church closed she converted and old office into the Meeting Place for bible studies. She boasted of her family and made sure they were always together during the holidays. She is much loved and will be missed dearly by all those who knew her. Her words to all of us would be Dont cry for me, rejoice for I will never hurt again. She was preceded in death by her parents, step-father Bill Jump, a brother Lester Lee Scott, a daughter Kerry Jean DeLong, and a granddaughter Shelly Marie DeLong. Survivors include her husband Horace Delong of Loco Hills; son Buddy DeLong of Artesia; daughters Kelly Marie DeLong of Loco Hills, Kimberly Ann Alexander of Hobbs, N.M., Kressy Elaine Carlile of Maljamar, N.M., Kaccy Tylene Garthwaite of Artesia, and Tina Carol Spriggs of Copperas Cove, Texas; 16 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren.