Neil S DeLong
Neil S. DeLong, age 89 of Elmwood, died Saturday, April 18, 2009 at the Heritage of Elmwood Nursing Home in Elmwood.
Neil was born March 28, 1920 in the Eau Galle Township rural Dunn County. He was the son of Charles and Florence (Maxfield) DeLong. Neil attended schools in Eau Galle and Elmwood. After leaving school, Neil worked on farms and for the Madson Lumber Co. he also served in the Government CCC Program. On April 17, 1940, Neil married Dorothy Reitz. Their marriage lasted 69 years and one day. Neil was in the Army’s 3rd Battalion, 32nd Division (Red Arrow Division) during WWII. He trained at Camp Wolters, Texas and then served on the Philippine Island of Luzon (the Villa Verde Trail). For a short period of time, he was with the Occupational Forces in Japan. After the service, Neil worked for the Elmwood CO-OP Creamery. The family moved to the Bremerton, WA area in 1951 where Neil worked in the Naval Ship Yard. They returned to Wisconsin in 1953 where Neil again worked at the Creamery and the family also farmed. Moving to Elmwood in 1961 Neil worked for the Village of Elmwood. Dorothy Neil again moved to Bremerton, WA a second time in 1967. Neil again worked in the naval ship yard. By 1970 they had returned to Elmwood. From 1970 until his retirement in 1982 he worked for the Pierce County Highway Dept.
Neil was an avid fisherman and hunter, gardening was also a special interest of his. Since June of 2005, Neil has resided in the Heritage of Elmwood Nursing Home in Elmwood.
Neil is survived by his wife Dorothy, two sons, Roger (Bonnie) of River Falls and Douglas (Lorraine) of Elmwood, four grandchildren, Timothy (Kathy) DeLong of River Falls, Cheri (Chris) Jacobson of Spring Valley, Teresa (Dan) Webber of Rice Lake and Curt (Dawn) DeLong of Woodville, 11 great grandchildren, one brother Clyde of Plum City and one sister Gladys Bundy of Chippewa Falls, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, an infant daughter and son, twin infant daughters, Darleen and Deborah, six sisters, Verne, Vera, Bessie, Eva, Jessie and Leona, four brothers, Floyd, Harrison, Gerald and Donald.