William Henry Long, V

January 8, 1948, to January 3, 2026

Will was born in Ithaca, NY and grew up in Forest Home. He was a Vietnam Era Veteran, stationed in Germany. He was a true family man, who could not be any prouder of his family and made sure the world knew that. Will spent his career in management and sales where he made sure to bring people joy and got to know many people from Ithaca to Cape Cod. Will was very outgoing, charismatic, and stressed the importance of being honest and treating people with the utmost respect.

On June 25, 1983, he married the love of his life, Gail Long at the quaint, Forest Home Chapel. After spending many summers on Cape Cod with his family, he relocated his family from Ithaca, NY to Eastham, MA in September 1994. Then in June 1995, he moved his family to Orleans, MA where he and Gail would go on to raise their three daughters and where they resided for many years as it was his favorite town on Cape Cod.

He was a lover of golf, photography, nature including humpback whales, birds, and all things Cape Cod.

Some of his favorite things to do were pile his family into the car and drive around together through Watkins Glen in Ithaca, or around Cape Cod jumping out of the car to snap a photo of wildlife or a Rock Harbor sunset. He also loved to frequent local coffee shops with his wife and when he was still able, with his granddaughters. There was nothing he loved more than being a husband to his wife, a father to his daughters, and a Papa to his grandchildren.

Will also loved vacationing with his family at Covewood Lodge in the Adirondacks, traveling around Europe on his Triumph Motorcycle, musicals including A Chorus Line and Fiddler on the Roof, Willie Nelson, the Beatles, and his collection of vinyl records, fires in the fireplace, bird feeders, and antiques especially clocks and watches.

He was predeceased by his parents, William "Bill" Long (Helen Long) his mother, Beverly Bush (Jim Bush), and his brothers, Jeffrey "Bubba" Bush and Jaime Bush.

He is survived by his loving family, including his wife, Gail Long; his daughters, Kate Ryder (Eric O'Neill) and her daughter Andrea Holmes, Annie Long (Jeffery Benjamin) and her 3 children Eve Storer, Ivy Storer, and Liv Storer, and Bethany Long (Chris Johnson); his sisters, Betsy Bush, and Holly Bush and son Willie Gordon (Jessica Gordon) and his three children; his stepchildren Mindi Rutty, Veronica Rutty and her children, Dove Dewey, Kearsten Benjamin, Trystan Dewey and Bella, Michael Rutty and his children, Rochelle Rutty, and Erika Farber; and four great-grandchildren.

Will left behind a legacy of kindness and love. May we never forget him.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2026 from 2pm-5pm at the Dennis Inn, 25 Scarsdale Road, Dennis, MA 02638. 

Anyone who would like to share thoughts or memories of Will, have an opportunity to speak tentatively at 2:30pm and a military salute at 3pm.