October 19, 2024
COURTESY/Diane Blocker
Reverend William (Billy) I. Long passed away peacefully on November 10, 2020, at age 88. A native of Bainbridge, GA, “Brother Bill” served in the ministry almost all of his life in Georgia, first as a pastor and then with the Georgia Baptist Convention and finally the Home Mission Board. Brother Bill married his high school sweetheart, Lois Cawthon in 1952 and together they went on the Mercer University and then to Southeastern Theological Seminary where he earned a Master’s of Divinity. From the age of 19, he was a pastor for multiple churches in Georgia including Milam, Camilla, Savannah, Oakwood, Columbus, and Tifton, Ga.
Bill joined the Georgia Baptist Convention in the 1974 working in the Sunday School, Evangelism, and Church Extension Departments. In 1984, he and Lois were appointed National Home Missionaries where Bill served as regional consultant and then as associate director of Field Servicing, New Church Extension Division until his retirement in December 1993. Even in retirement, Rev. Long continued to serve his Lord through pastoral care to many churches throughout the state of Georgia.
Many remember his wife Lois who was always by his side and a partner in ministry through her life. She spent many years serving with the WMU and Girl’s Auxiliary and as a Sunday school and women’s Bible study teacher. She passed away on November 30, 2020, shortly after Rev. Long’s passing.
As a memorial to the ministry of Bill and Lois, the family has set up a scholarship in their honor to support the theological education of students in pastoral ministry. Donations can be made to the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary c/o Financial Development Office, Box 1889, Wake Forest, NC 27588 (memo line: @ Bill and Lois Long Scholarship Fund) or https://www.sebts.edu/alumni-and-friends/friends/give.aspx (For the Students: Bill & Lois Long Scholarship).
